TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) - The Kansas Supreme Court on Thursday will hear arguments in the ethics case against former state Attorney General Phill Kline.
The matter is set to go before Kansas' high court almost a year after a panel of the state's Board for Discipline of Attorneys recommended that Kline's law license be suspended indefinitely for the way he handled investigations into abortion providers.
Kline, a Republican who lost his 2006 re-election bid and went on to serve a stint as Johnson County district attorney, alleged that late-term abortions were being done at the Overland Park Planned Parenthood clinic, as well as a Wichita abortion provider.
The panel of the disciplinary board determined that Kline repeatedly misled other officials to further his investigation. He discounted the board's recommendation as politically motivated and appealed.
Five Supreme Court justices recused themselves from the case, so five other sitting judges have been appointed to take their places behind the seven-person bench on Thursday.
In addition to some new faces, arguments in Kline's case will also likely be longer than normal.
The court's docket shows that Kline's case will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday and that each party will get 30 minutes to argue their side. Dockets for past arguments show attorneys usually only get 15 minutes.
It is unclear when the state high court will issue a ruling in the case.
Former Kan. AG's ethics case before state SC
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