Judge Fleming of 11th judicial district to sit with Kansas Supreme Court October 24

TOPEKA — Judge Robert Fleming of the 11th judicial district has been appointed to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in one case on the court's 9 a.m. docket Monday, October 24.

After hearing oral arguments, Fleming will join Supreme Court justices in their deliberations and opinion drafting.

"I am pleased that Judge Fleming is taking time from his duties in the 11th judicial district to sit with the Supreme Court," said Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss. "It's a great help to our court and we look forward to his contributions deliberating this case."

Fleming has been a district court judge since 1996. Before that, he had a law practice in Pittsburg for nearly 30 years. He is a graduate of Washburn University School of Law.

"It is indeed an honor and privilege to be asked to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court," Fleming said. "I am very mindful of the responsibility that comes with that privilege."

All Supreme Court oral arguments are webcast live through the Watch Supreme Court Live! link in the right-hand column of the Kansas Judicial Branch website at www.kscourts.org.

The case Fleming will hear is scheduled on the Supreme Court's 9 a.m. docket Monday, October 24:

Appeal No. 115,827: In re Jeffery A. Mason, Respondent

Original Proceeding Related to Attorney Discipline: (One-year Suspension) In one case, Mason represented a client in a workers compensation case. Mason mislead his client, created false documents, and gave the client improper advice because she had waived her claim with the settlement. In the other case, Mason represented a client in a real estate lease case. Mason failed to answer a motion to dismiss a counterclaim and the court ruled against Mason's client. Mason did not tell his client about the dismissal, failed to forward interrogatory responses to the opposing party, and did not inform his client of any of the summary judgment proceedings that ended up in a judgment against his client. The hearing panel concluded that Mason violated several provisions of the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct and recommended that Mason be suspended for a period of one year.