The Hon. John C. Gariglietti missed seeing the University of Kansas basketball team take the court in the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday. But he was OK with that, as he was in taking the court in a different manner.
While Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert E. Davis is on “extended medical leave,” several judges across the state have been appointed to serve in Davis’s stead. Gariglietti is one of those appointed to fill Davis’s seat on a temporary basis.
Gariglietti covered for Davis on Thursday, joining the seven-member court to hear oral arguments just for the day. He will participate in the court’s deliberations and opinion drafting, although he was not selected to write any of the court’s opinions.
He said the experience taught him a great deal about the state’s top court.
“All of the justices are really bright and work hard. I wanted to make sure I did all my homework on the cases we were discussing, and what’s at stake and the precedents involved,” Gariglietti said. “Their decision is the law of the land in Kansas. There’s a lot more finality to it.”
Gariglietti has been involved with the judiciary since his early days as a lawyer. After graduating first from Pittsburg State and then from Washburn University School of Law, Gariglietti maintained his own law practice for eight years. During that time, he served as judge of the City Court of Pittsburg from 1975-1976 and City Attorney for West Mineral from 1970 to 1977 before being appointed to the 11th District seat in 1977. Gariglietti now serves as the Chief Judge in the district.
In the past, Gariglietti has served in a similar manner on the three-member Court of Appeals. But Thursday’s experience was new for him.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “It made me appreciate that job even more. It might even help me in mine. When I’m sitting up there, reading a brief and studying the results of three, four, five days of trial, every little nuance of the case can be considered. Appeals lawyers are looking for every little detail that they could find. It makes you more aware of what issues gain the attention of the court at that level.”
Gariglietti has served as president of the Kansas District Judges Association, chairman of the 11th Judicial District Community Corrections Advisory Board, member of the Supreme Court Committee on Court Security and Disaster Training and member of the Supreme Court Advisory Council on Dispute Resolution.
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.
PITTSBURG —
