Lack of attorneys a crisis for Kansas court system

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A committee formed to study the trend of fewer attorneys working and living in Kansas found the problem has become a "crisis".

The Kansas Rural Justice Initiative Committee was formed to study the legal needs of Kansans in rural communities. The committee said the attorney-to-resident ratio is two or less per 1,000 residents. According to the American Bar Association, the national average is 3.9 attorneys for every 1,000 residents.

The report found two Kansas counties didn't have any attorneys at all. The report said if you removed attorneys between the ages of 60 and 87, nine more counties wouldn't have attorneys.

“Every day, judges in rural communities witness the effects of too few attorneys, but this was the first attempt to document the depth and breadth of the problem,” Chief Justice Marla Luckert said. “I appreciate the committee’s extraordinary work, time, and effort to find ways we can change this trend.”

According to the Office of Judicial Administration, the lack of attorneys puts a strain on the court system. The office said it pushes judges to seek attorneys from outside of their community.

The committee recommended tuition reimbursement incentives, student loan repayment programs for attorneys and coordinating action to make it enticing for attorneys in rural areas.

“There isn’t one solution to this multifaceted problem, but rather a number of strategies that could work together to reverse a long-term trend,” Justice K.J. Wall said. “The recommendations are well-reasoned and attainable, and they reflect the committee’s combined understanding of this issue.”

You can read the full report by clicking here.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.