By BECKY KISER and JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Jury trials in Ellis County District Court will be held at the Ellis County Fairgrounds while reconstruction continues at the Ellis County Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center.
The first is scheduled for Wednesday.
According to 23rd Judicial District Court Administrator Phil Fielder, 45 potential jurors will arrive at the Schenk Building at 8:45 a.m. today. The group will first gather in a small room off the entrance and then enter the large open area for voir dire.
Fielder said Wednesday’s jury trial is scheduled for one day only.
Clerk of the Court Amanda Truan said due to the number of people appearing for jury duty, the Shenk Building will be transformed into a courtroom for all upcoming jury trials.
“We really only anticipate one jury trial a month, at most,” she said.
Truan and court reporter Lynelle Gottschalk worked Monday and Tuesday to transform the south half of the large Schenk building into a courtroom, with seating and desks for the judge, attorneys and court reporter, a witness stand, and jury and spectator seating. A U.S. flag was placed behind the judge’s seat. Tuesday afternoon, they were still searching for an extra Kansas flag to put opposite the national flag.
Metal folding chairs, tables, a podium and a riser stored and used regularly in the Schenk Building were moved into place by people required to do community service under the direction of Truan and Gottschalk.
The existing sound system will also be used for the microphones and amplification in the room. A large-screen TV system was installed for Wednesday’s trial which requires playing some video, Fielder said.
“There will be security in place,” Fielder said, “as there is for all of our jury trials.”
“If this doesn’t work, we’ll go to Plan B,” Truan added, which is to conduct jury trials in Trego or Rooks counties in the 23rd Judicial District, which would require transporting the selected jury members, and other associated parties to drive to the distant location.
“The Schenk Building is actually a little more convenient than the courthouse,” Turan pointed out. “There’s a lot more parking here at the fairgrounds. It’s close to the building, and it’s all on one level.”
Court services staff moved to the former N.E.W. building in December and all district judge hearings, except for jury trials, will be held at the N.E.W. building at 3000 NEW Way, according to Truan.
Beginning next week, Monday, Feb. 2, the magistrate courts will also move to the N.E.W. building.
Truan said currently the magistrate court hearings are held at the district court annex across from the courthouse on Fort Street.
The courthouse/LEC remodel project is expected to take about a year.
“Other people and events using the Schenk Building will take precedence,” Fielder said. “The fairground managers have been very helpful and we (the court) won’t interfere with their schedule.”