Congratulations to Martin Pringle Attorney, Kate McKinney (Overland Park), for her appointment to the Kansas Supreme Court Ad Hoc Jury Task Force.

According to Administrative Order 2020-CM-050, the Task Force was formed to, "To support the courts in planning, the task force will analyze the issues courts will face when jury operations resume. The task force will examine issues, explore and evaluate possible solutions, and make recommendations for best practices regarding:

• ways to conduct jury trials and grand jury proceedings while protecting the safety of judges, court staff, the public, litigants, witnesses, and jurors, including the use of virtual technology, sanitation practices, and maintaining physical distancing;
• the jury summons process, including the qualification process, obtaining adequate jury pools, and screening jurors
• communication with the public about the jury process; and
• any other topic the group believes will benefit the courts in planning the resumption of jury operations."

Additonal members of the Task Force:

• Hon. Amy Hanley, chair, district court judge, 7th judicial district
• Hon. Steven Ebberts, district court judge, 3rd judicial district
• Hon. Lori Bolton Fleming, district court judge, 11th judicial district
• Hon. Laura Lewis, district court judge, 16th judicial district
• Hon. Christopher Smith, district court judge, 19th judicial district
• Katherine Stocks, court  administrator, 10th judicial district
• Janelle Morel, chief clerk, 17th judicial district
• Kristi Hill, clerk, 29th judicial district
• Crystal Gossett, clerk, 30th judicial district
• Andrea Skucius, secretary II, 20th judicial district
• Mary Kay Howe, court reporter, 7th judicial district
• Paul Brothers, attorney, Topeka
• Terrence Campbell, attorney, Lawrence
• Jeffrey Dazey, attorney, Topeka
• James Howell, attorney, Wichita
• Kate McKinney, attorney, Overland Park
• Christopher McMullin, attorney, Olathe
• Dionne  Scherff, attorney, Overland Park

Kate McKinney joined Martin Pringle in 2014.  Kate began her career in 1996 as an assistant prosecuting attorney in suburban Kansas City and then transitioned into private practice. Kate took a brief hiatus from her legal practice to start her own company, focusing on social media and digital marketing. After building a successful small business and gaining perspective on the needs of business owners, she felt called back to the practice of law. Her experience as a business owner gives Kate a unique perspective when managing clients’ needs. Kate’s law practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation, insurance defense, business and entrepreneurial law, and estate planning.