NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 • VOLUME 82 • NO. 10 In this issue Holiday Gifts for the Legal Writer Unauthorized Immunity Agreements: Honesty is the Best Policy Also in this issue Doing More With Less – Expanding the Grand Jury System to Meet the Demands of a Large Volume Prosecution Offi ce NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 • VOLUME 82 • NO. 10 The Journal THE Board of Editors OURNAL of the KANSAS BAR ASSOCIATION Your Partner in the Profession • www.ksbar.org Richard D. Ralls, Chair Shawnee Mission Terri Savely Bezek, BOG liaison Topeka Joan M. Bowen Wichita Hon. David E. Bruns Topeka J Boyd A. Byers Wichita Toby J. Crouse Overland Park Focus Emily Grant Topeka Connie S. Hamilton Topeka Unauthorized Immunity Katharine J. Jackson Manhattan 24 Michael T. Jilka Lawrence Agreements: Honesty is Lisa R. Jones Topeka Hon. Janice Miller Karlin Topeka the Best Policy Casey R. Law McPherson By Joshua I. Marrone Julene L. Miller Topeka Hon. Robert E. Nugent Wichita Professor John C. Peck Lake Quivira Rachael K. Pirner Wichita Karen Renwick Kansas City, Mo. Teresa M. Schreffler Mission Richard H. Seaton Sr. Manhattan Sarah B. Shattuck Ashland Items of Interest Regular Features Richard D. Smith Topeka Marty M. Snyder Topeka 09 Just Do It! 06 President’s Message Matthew A. Spurgin Topeka Catherine A. Walter Topeka 10 Loss – We All Experience It 08 Young Lawyers Section News Issaku Yamaashi Overland Park 11 Advance Notice: Elections for 12 The Diversity Corner 2014 KBA Officers and Board of Governors 14 Law Practice Management Tips & Tricks 21 KBA CLE is Going Green Richard D. Ralls, Chairperson 15 A Nostalgic Touch of Humor [email protected] Beth Warrington, Communication Services Director 21 Notice of Amendment of the Local Substance & Style [email protected] Rules of Practice of the United 16 States District Court 18 Law Students’ Corner 20 Members in the News 21 Obituaries OUR MISSION 32 Appellate Decisions 35 Appellate Practice Reminders The Kansas Bar Association is dedicated to advancing the pro- 44 Classified Advertisements fessionalism and legal skills of lawyers, providing services to its members, serving the commu- nity through advocacy of public policy issues, encouraging public understanding of the law, and promoting the effective admin- istration of our system of justice. www.ksbar.org The Journal of the Kansas Bar Association | November/December 2013 3 Let your VOICE be Heard! 2013-14 KBA Officers and Board of Governors PRESIDENT DISTRICT 2 (CON’T.) DISTRICT 10 Dennis D. Depew Hon. Sally D. Pokorny Jeffery A. Mason (620) 325-2626 Neodesha (785) 832-5248 Lawrence (785) 890-6588 Goodland [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] PRESIDENT-ELECT DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 11 Gerald L. Green Eric L. Rosenblad Nancy Morales Gonzalez (620) 662-0537 Hutchinson (620) 232-1330 Pittsburg (816) 936-5788 Kansas City, Mo. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT DISTRICT 4 DISTRICT 12 Natalie Haag Chad D. Giles William E. Quick (785) 270-6165 Topeka (620) 221-1120 Arkansas City (816) 360-4335 Kansas City, Mo. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] SECRETARY-TREASURER DISTRICT 5 AT-LARGE GovERNOR Stephen N. Six Terri S. Bezek Christi L. Bright (816) 714-7190 Kansas City, Mo. (785) 296-2639 Topeka (913) 239-9966 Overland Park [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ImmEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Cheryl L. Whelan KDJA REPRESENTATIVE Lee M. Smithyman (785) 296-3204 Topeka Hon. Thomas E. Foster (913) 661-9800 Overland Park [email protected] (913) 715-3860 Olathe [email protected] DISTRICT 6 [email protected] YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION PRESIDENT Bruce W. Kent KBA DELEGATE TO ABA Jeffrey W. Gettler (785) 556-2019 Manhattan Rachael K. Pirner (620) 331-1800 Independence [email protected] (316) 630-8100 Wichita [email protected] DISTRICT 7 [email protected] DISTRICT 1 Matthew C. Hesse KBA DELEGATE TO ABA Toby J. Crouse (316) 858-4924 Wichita Linda S. Parks (913) 498-2100 Overland Park [email protected] (316) 265-7741 Wichita [email protected] J. Michael Kennalley [email protected] (316) 268-7933 Wichita Gregory P. Goheen [email protected] ABA BOARD OF GovERNORS (913) 371-3838 Kansas City, Kan. Thomas A. Hamill [email protected] Calvin D. Rider (316) 267-7361 Wichita (913) 491-5500 Overland Park Mira Mdivani [email protected] [email protected] (913) 317-6200 Overland Park ABA STATE DELEGATE [email protected] DISTRICT 8 Hon. Christel E. Marquardt Jennifer K. Vath John B. Swearer (620) 662-3331 Hutchinson (785) 296-6146 Topeka (816) 460-2516 Kansas City, Mo. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 9 Jordan E. Yochim Charles E. Branson David J. Rebein (620) 227-8126 Dodge City (785) 234-5696 Topeka (785) 841-0211 Lawrence [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS CON’T. Feature Article ... serving the citizens of Kansas and the legal profession through funding chari- 22 table and educational projects that foster Doing More With Less – Expanding the welfare, honor, and integrity of the legal system by improving its accessibility, equality, and uniformity, and by enhanc- the Grand Jury System to Meet ing public opinion of the role of lawyers in our society. the Demands of a Large Volume Kansas Law Center 1200 SW Harrison Prosecution Office Topeka, Kansas 66612-1806 Telephone: (785) 234-5696 By Chad J. Taylor Fax: (785) 234-3813 Cover layout & design by Ryan Purcell Website: www.ksbar.org [email protected] OFFICERS Katherine L. Kirk Lawrence President [email protected] Edward J. Nazar Wichita President-elect [email protected] Laura L. Ice Wichita Secretary-Treasurer [email protected] Joni J. Franklin Wichita Immediate Past President [email protected] BOARD OF TRUSTEES John C. Brown Hays Amy Fellows Cline Wichita Melissa R. Doeblin Topeka Gregory P. Goheen Kansas City, Kan. James L. Hargrove El Dorado Scott M. Hill Wichita Aaron L. Kite Dodge City Charles D. Lee Hutchinson Kurtis I. Loy Pittsburg Amy E. Morgan Overland Park David H. Moses Wichita C. David Newbery Topeka Susan G. Saidian Wichita Todd N. Thompson Lawrence Kenneth W. Wasserman Salina Hon. Evelyn Z. Wilson Topeka Brooks G. Severson Wichita Young Lawyers Representative Margaret A. Farley Lawrence Kansas Association for Justice Representative Patrice Petersen-Klein Topeka Kansas Women Attorneys Association Representative Nathan D. Leadstrom Topeka The Journal of the Kansas Bar Association is published The Kansas Bar Association and the members of the Kansas Association of Defense monthly with combined issues for July/August and Board of Editors assume no responsibility for any Counsel Representative November/December for a total of 10 issues a year. opinion or statement of fact in the substantive legal Sara S. Beezley Girard Kansas Bar Association Periodical Postage Rates paid at Topeka, Kan., and articles published in The Journal of the Kansas Bar Representative at additional mailing offices. The Journal of the Kan- Association. Bruce W. Kent Manhattan sas Bar Association (ISSN 0022-8486) is published Kansas Bar Association by the Kansas Bar Association, 1200 SW Harrison For display advertising information contact Representative Bill Spillman at (877) 878-3260 or email bill@ Timothy M. O’Brien Kansas City, Kan. St., Topeka, KS 66612-1806; Phone: (785) 234- innovativemediasolutions.com. For classified ads Kansas Bar Association 5696; Fax: (785) 234-3813. Member subscription Representative is $25 a year, which is included in annual dues. contact Beth Warrington at (785) 234-5696 or email [email protected]. Publication of adver- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Nonmember subscription rate is $45 a year. POST- tisements is not to be deemed an endorsement of Jordan E. Yochim Topeka MASTER: Send address changes to The Journal of [email protected] the Kansas Bar Association, 1200 SW Harrison St., any product or service advertised unless otherwise indicated. MANAGER, PUBLIC SERVICES Topeka, KS 66612-1806. Anne Woods Topeka COPYRIGHT 2013 [email protected] Kansas Bar Association, Topeka, Kan. www.ksbar.org The Journal of the Kansas Bar Association | November/December 2013 5 FROM THE PRESIDENT DENNIS D. DEPEW Giving Thanks he holiday season is upon us and with it comes the difficult conditions for some time. They have had no raises and time we should be giving thanks for the good things in no real legislative consideration of improvements to judicial our lives. At times, due to factors that are both beyond branch operations that have been identified after thoughtful Tand within our control, the simple art of giving thanks can be consideration by independent commissions. Despite those dif- somewhat difficult. ficulties, the work of the court system continues to get done As I write this, we are just starting the third week of the to a degree that recognizes that the courts of Kansas as being federal government partial shutdown and are three days away among the highest rated court systems in the nation. from reaching the nation’s debt limit. We are frustrated by the We have, overall, a group of thousands of Kansas lawyers impact the continuing crisis has on our fellow citizens and our and support staff that not only competently address the needs own peace of mind. The entire Washington, D.C., fiasco of of clients, but also donate tens of thousands of hours annually “government by crisis” has more than worn thin at this point of pro bono, civic, association, charitable, and educational as we consider the impact on our lives of the continuing polit- work that benefit all of Kansas on a local, regional, and state- ical gamesmanship. As attorneys, we are used to resolving our wide basis. Everywhere I go, I continue to be impressed at the client’s disputes one way or another, but we are accustomed to stories of Kansas lawyers making a real difference in the lives getting a resolution.