Kansas, coercion & the courts: Brownback threatens to defund Supreme Court

[The Minsky Moment]

The position of chief judge in Kansas exists only accordance with a rule established by the KS Supreme Court.  It's not a independent job or position that would otherwise exist - indeed it would be quite possible to have no chief judge at all.    The duties consist of things like personnel functions, supervising clerks, supervising budget, assignment plans, vacation plans, etc.

This is not an unusual setup.  Most of the 50 state court systems operate the same way and have similar or even identical constitutional language.  The one big difference is that some states give that authority to the Chief Justice of the highest court, a few others - like Kansas - grant the authority to the entire highest court as a body. 

[Berkut]

OK, then that does sound pretty purely administrative - if the position exists because they have administrative authority, and the position is intended for administrative purposes, then clearly it falls under that.

However, if that is the case, then why do the Republicans want the lower courts to pick them? How does that help them in any fashion?

[The Minsky Moment]

However, if that is the case, then why do the Republicans want the lower courts to pick them? How does that help them in any fashion?

I have no idea.  It has no bearing on who becomes a judge.