20-310a. Appointments of judges pro tem; power and authority; compensation; reporting requirements. (a) Subject to the budget limitations of the district court, the chief judge of any judicial district may appoint a judge pro tem within such judicial district: (1) For good cause shown; or (2) in the absence, sickness or disability of a district judge or district magistrate judge, whenever a district judge or district magistrate judge from another judicial district has not been assigned to replace such district judge or district magistrate judge as provided in K.S.A. 20-319, and amendments thereto.
(b) Any judge pro tem appointed pursuant to this section shall be a regularly admitted, active status member of the bar of this state. The appointment of any such judge pro tem shall be made by the chief judge or, in the absence of the chief judge, by the departmental justice for the judicial district.
(c) Any judge pro tem appointed pursuant to this section shall have the full power and authority of a district judge with respect to any actions or proceedings before such judge pro tem, except that any judge pro tem appointed pursuant to subsection (d) or (e) shall have only such power and authority as provided therein. A judge pro tem shall receive such compensation as is prescribed by the district court, subject to the budget limitations of such district court.
(d) Subject to the budget limitations of the district court, the chief judge of any judicial district may appoint one or more judges pro tem for the limited purpose of hearing the original trials of actions filed pursuant to the small claims procedures act or other action within the jurisdiction of a district magistrate judge as provided in K.S.A. 20-302b, and amendments thereto. Any such judge pro tem shall have only such judicial power and authority as is necessary to hear such actions. Any party aggrieved by any order of a judge pro tem under this subsection may appeal such order and such appeal shall be heard by a district judge de novo. If the appeal is a small claims action, the appeal shall be under K.S.A. 61-2709, and amendments thereto. If the appeal is an action within the jurisdiction of a district magistrate judge, the appeal shall be under K.S.A. 20-302b, and amendments thereto.
(e) Subject to the budget limitations of the district court, the chief judge of any judicial district in which the board of county commissioners is authorized to use the code for the enforcement of county codes and resolutions as provided in subsection (b) of K.S.A. 19-101d, and amendments thereto, may appoint one or more judges pro tem for the limited purpose of hearing such cases. Any such judge pro tem shall have only such power and authority as is necessary to hear such actions, and shall have the power to compel appearances before the court, to hold persons in contempt for failure to appear, and to issue bench warrants for appearances. Such judge pro tem shall receive the salary and other compensation set by resolution of the board of county commissioners which shall be paid from the revenues of the county general fund or other fund established for the purpose of financing code enforcement.
(f) The chief judge of each judicial district shall report to the judicial administrator of the courts: (1) The dates on which any judge pro tem served in such district, (2) the compensation paid to any judge pro tem, and (3) such other information as the judicial administrator may request with regard to the appointment of judges pro tem. The reports shall be submitted annually on or before January 15 on forms provided by the judicial administrator.
History: L. 1976, ch. 146, § 36; L. 1977, ch. 107, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 131, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 115, § 33; L. 1988, ch. 102, § 4; L. 1989, ch. 83, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 93, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 83, § 2; L. 1999, ch. 57, § 14; L. 2012, ch. 64, § 1; July 1.
Structure Kansas Statutes
20-301 District court in each county; jurisdiction.
20-301a Classes of judges; judge of the district court defined; jurisdiction, power and authority.
20-301b Judge required in each county.
20-302 District judges; power and authority.
20-302b District magistrate judges; jurisdiction, powers and duties; record; appeals.
20-304a Sealed instruments validated.
20-310a Appointments of judges pro tem; power and authority; compensation; reporting requirements.
20-311 Disqualification of judge to sit in certain cases.
20-311d Change of judge; procedure; grounds.
20-311e Same; punishment for contempt prohibited.
20-318a Training for attorneys and judges who work in juvenile court.
20-319 Powers and duties of departmental justices; reports and information.
20-320 Same; duties of chief justice; records and report.
20-321 Same; rules and regulations; assistants.
20-322 Same; name of act; citation.
20-323 Same; act supplemental to existing laws.
20-328 Pending actions and proceedings.
20-329 Chief judge; election by district court judges in such judicial district; duties.
20-331 Residence requirements of judges of the district court.
20-333 Abolishment of office of judge upon death, resignation or retirement in certain cases.
20-333b Transfer of pending proceedings to new district.
20-334 Qualifications of judges of the district court.
20-336 Election of district magistrate judges; election laws applicable.
20-338 District magistrate judge positions established.
20-341 District magistrate judges; expenses; retirement system.
20-342 District court rules for administrative operations of court and nonjudicial personnel.
20-343 Clerks of district courts; chief clerk; qualifications and duties of clerical personnel.
20-346a Parole and court services officers.
20-347 Location of courthouses; chief judge's duties.
20-348 County commissioners responsible for certain expenses of district court operations.
20-349 Budget for district court expenses payable by counties, preparation; approval of budget.
20-350 Disposition of money received by clerk; investment of moneys held; disposition of interest.
20-353 Conversion of district magistrate judge positions to new district judge positions; procedure.
20-354 Elimination of certain district magistrate judge positions; procedure.
20-357 Reproduction and preservation of court records.
20-358 Health care benefit coverage of district court officers and employees.
20-359 Certain district court officers and employees; fringe benefits; counties' duties.
20-360 Performance of marriage ceremonies; disposition of honorariums.
20-362 Disposition of docket fees.
20-365 Clerks of district courts; use of facsimile signature.
20-366 Security for district courts.
20-368 Disposition of bail forfeitures.
20-369 Domestic violence special program fee; disposition; expenditure of fund.
20-377 Court trustee; appointment.
20-380 Same; expenses; compensation; court trustee operations fund, purposes and expenditures.
20-381 Payment of authorized expenditures.
20-382 Authorized expenditures, when paid.
20-383 Court rules to implement act; review of requests for exemption.
20-384 Judicial district budgets; responsibilities of chief judge.