20-318.   Judicial department created; division of state into departments;justices assigned to departments; position of judicial administrator created;appointment, compensation and duties of administrator.There is hereby created within the state of Kansas, a judicialdepartment for the supervision of all courts in the state of Kansas. Thesupreme court shall divide the state into separate sections, not toexceed six (6) in number, to be known as judicial departments, each ofwhich shall be assigned a designation to distinguish it from the otherdepartments. A justice of the supreme court shall be assigned asdepartmental justice for each judicial department.

      There is created hereby the position of judicial administrator of thecourts, who shall be appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court toserve at the will of the chief justice. The judicial administrator shallhave a broad knowledge of judicialadministration and substantial prior experience in an administrativecapacity. No person appointed as judicial administrator shall engage inthe practice of law while serving in such capacity. Compensation of thejudicial administrator shall be determinedby the justices, but shall not exceed the salary authorized by law forthe judge of the district court. The judicial administrator shall beresponsible to the chief justice of the supreme court of the state of Kansas, and shallimplement the policies of the court with respect to the operation andadministration of the courts, under the supervision of the chiefjustice. Said administrator shall perform such other duties as areprovided by law or assigned him or her by the supreme court or the chief justice.Expenditures from appropriations for district court operations to bepaid by the state shall be made on vouchers approved by the judicialadministrator. All claims for salaries, wages or other compensation fordistrict court operations to be paid by the state shall be certified asprovided in K.S.A. 75-3731 by the judicial administrator.

      History:   L. 1965, ch. 215, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 132, § 1; L.1976, ch. 146, § 5; L. 1976, ch. 380, § 21; L. 1979, ch. 81, §1; L. 1980, ch. 96, § 1; March 13.