In her annual State of the Judiciary address, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert highlighted the need to address issues contributing to the growing “justice gap” in the state. While acknowledging that the judicial system avoided major crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and cyberattacks, Luckert pointed to ongoing challenges, including a shortage of attorneys, especially in rural areas. She noted that Kansas City, Missouri, has more attorneys than all of Kansas’ nearly 100 rural counties combined, which affects rural communities’ access to justice.

Luckert emphasized the impact of the justice gap, which leaves many people unable to access legal services due to financial constraints or lack of nearby attorneys. She urged lawmakers to support funding for rural attorney training programs to help address the issue. The Chief Justice also outlined efforts to simplify court procedures, promote self-representation, and recruit attorneys to rural areas.

A report on the rural attorney shortage revealed that 21% of active attorneys serve 45% of the population in rural counties. Luckert proposed a tuition reimbursement incentive to encourage law school graduates to practice in these areas.