News & Commentary

TOPEKA — Kansas legal leaders and juvenile justice advocates are backing a bill to end the use of restraints on a juvenile during court hearings, which they referred to as an unnecessary and humiliating practice.

Sharon Brett, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said outdated state laws are common, but anti-LGBTQ laws send a message to people that they aren’t welcomed in the state. “It’s a deliberate decision not to amend the code,” Brett said.

“We ask committee leadership to rethink the course of their actions,” Mark McCormick, ACLU, said. “Slow down the process. Allow for a reasonable amount of time for public comment. Provide all information on maps publicly. We have a long process ahead of us. We have time to do it right.”

A United States District Court has ruled that the ACLU of Kansas and the Kansas Appleseed can move forward with its lawsuit against the City of Wichita regarding police use of a "gang list."

TOPEKA — A coalition of Kansas organizations are seeking to end the “pernicious practice” of extracting wealth from children and their families through fines and fees in the legal system.

A Kansan says he is grateful he’ll be allowed to continue flying his “F--- Biden” flag after his town dropped all related charges against him. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has changed a policy that denied sex reassignment surgery to people who did not legally change their names, the company confirmed Thursday.

The ACLU complained in a letter of reports of stabbings, understaffing and poor security at the private prison. As CoreCivic's contract expires this month, questions about its future remain.

Considered the most prestigious and competitive award for public interest law graduates, Skadden Fellowships provide two years of funding for lawyers pursuing public-interest law projects of their own design. Hiegert is one of 28 judicial clerks and graduating law students across the country to receive a Skadden Fellowship.