Stauffer Communications, Inc. v. Mitchell

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Lockett, J.:

This is an original action in mandamus by Stauffer Communications, Inc., (Stauffer) which owns and operates the Topeka Capital-Journal, a daily newspaper of general circulation, against Judge Daniel L. Mitchell of the Third Judicial District, who is assigned all juvenile cases in that district. Stauffer seeks an order commanding Judge Mitchell to open to the public all detention hearings and other preliminary matters involving juveniles over the age of 15 held pursuant to the Kansas Juvenile Offenders Code, K.S.A. 38-1601 et seq.

The Kansas…