The Kansas Legislature has taken action to assist state courts with the current backlog in criminal cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monday, the legislature voted 114-7 to approve a plan that, if approved by Governor Laura Kelly, would give prosecutors a little more than two years to clear the estimated backlog of 5,000 cases across the state. If the bill is signed by the governor it will suspend a state law that is designed to protect a defendant’s constitutional right to a speedy trial until May of 2023 according to the Wichita Eagle.
The backlog of court cases was the result of jury trials being postponed over the past year as Kansas courthouses worked to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
KVOE has reached out to Lyon County Administrative Judge Merlin Wheeler for his thoughts on the legislation.
