Barrett Law Firm, P.A.

08/02/2026

Everyone should know.

Do you know who decides sentencing after a defendant is convicted?

⚖️ How Sentencing Works in Kansas ⚖️
In Kansas, a judge—not the prosecution—decides the sentence after someone is convicted. Judges use the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines Grid (below) as a guide to help determine the appropriate sentence.

The grid takes into account two main things:
1️⃣ The severity level of the crime (rows).
2️⃣ The person’s criminal history (columns).
While prosecutors and defense attorneys may recommend a sentence, the final decision rests with the judge, who must follow the law and the guidelines.

This post is only for educational purposes. If you have questions, please contact an attorney. See less

07/19/2026

Vote no on Aug 4th!!!

In the mid-1950s, Kansans still elected their Supreme Court justices in partisan statewide elections, a system that increasingly blurred the line between justice and politics. That tension exploded into full public view during what became known as the Triple Play scandal.

The merit selection system that emerged was a direct response to a moment when Kansans saw their judiciary used as a political bargaining chip and decided it should never happen again. In 1958, Kansas voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to remove Supreme Court selection from direct partisan elections and political appointment. This system, which prioritizes legal qualifications, democratic accountability, and independence, remains in place today.

On August 4, Kansas voters will once again go to the polls to determine the future of the Kansas Supreme Court. Every Kansan who believes in fair courts, honest government, and justice for all should vote NO on August 4!

07/02/2026

Chief Justice Eric Rosen signed orders appointing and reappointing members to eight boards, commissions, and committees.

Read more: https://buff.ly/Kdd1QrH

06/23/2026

Vote no Aug 4th!!!

06/11/2026

Another good reason to move forward in Kansas !!

🌿 The evidence linking ma*****na legalization and lower opioid overdose rates keeps getting harder to ignore.

These findings add to decades of research showing that states with legal cannabis access experience fewer opioid-related harms, not more. So much for the prohibitionists' lazy "gateway drug" claims.

🔗 Read more: https://norml.org/blog/2026/05/29/analysis-opioid-overdoses-decrease-following-enactment-of-ma*****na-legalization-laws/

05/23/2026

Just say NO!!

In 1956, the "Triple Play" scandal exposed how the practice of electing judges enabled backroom deals, eroding public trust. Public outrage translated into action. Kansans began pushing for a structural change to prevent such abuses in the future by proposing a constitutional amendment to remove Supreme Court selection from direct partisan elections and political appointment. This system, which prioritizes legal qualifications, democratic accountability, and independence, has remained in place since 1958.

On August 4, Kansas voters will go to the polls to determine the future of the Kansas Supreme Court. Will we keep our current merit-based process, or will we return to the days of backroom deals and corruption?

Read more about the Triple Play Scandal: https://www.kansasappleseed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PDF_From-Scandal-to-Gavel.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawR9TYxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeOFwqsXXpR8x1-GHf_2VLqsDSUkrIAf52U7jaElWWZ1w1P274YDha9ILuoEk_aem_bflva-zyZ325R_mF4g4ouA

04/27/2026

The Trump administration has taken a step in the right direction on cannabis, says Cato’s Jeffrey A. Singer. But rescheduling doesn’t end prohibition—it merely rearranges it. Real reform means removing it from the Controlled Substances Act altogether and letting states regulate it.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/4B9150YPoHZ

04/07/2026

We're excited about this cross-branch collaboration to implement recommendations from the Rural Justice Initiative Committee. The stipend and loan repayment programs in Substitute for House Bill 2595 address one of the greatest barriers for students practicing in rural communities today: student loan debt. By working together — and in concert with other efforts underway — we are poised for progress addressing the attorney shortage affecting rural Kansans.

https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/990/56