By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT and BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss was in Hays Wednesday afternoon as part of a two-day tour through western Kansas.

Nuss and Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert, a Goodland native, were in Abilene and Salina before stopping in Hays and Colby yesterday.

While in Hays, the justices got an opportunity to tour the newly remodeled Ellis County Courthouse and meet with district court staff and law professionals.

Last year Nuss toured the NEW building south of Hays where the county had temporarily set up operations.   Nuss said he was impressed with the updated facility.

“I tip my hat to whoever was responsible for all this,” Nuss said “I doubt it was any one person. It’s usually a team effort.”

He also praised the cooperation between the county and city for working together to implement the sales tax.

“I thought that was a great example of cooperation between two governmental entities working together on a project for the benefit of their public,” said Nuss.

Nuss previously practiced law in Salina and said he worked in Hays a number of times where he always enjoyed the classic look of the courthouse.

During their tour, the justices are stopping at several courthouses in northwest Kansas to meet with court staff.

“When I was a lawyer many years ago, that was one of my favorite things to do, to go to as many courthouses in Kansas as I could just because I like the architecture,” said Nuss. “What’s more important to me now (as Chief Justice) are the people who work in the judicial branch in those courthouses.”