Opinion ID: 2627231
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Availability of Relief in District Court

Text: Kline has argued that the relief CHPP and the Attorney General seek in this action is inappropriate because the petition fails to state why relief is unavailable in the district court. Kline apparently misreads Kansas Supreme Court Rule 9.01(a) (2007 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 70), which states: Original jurisdiction of an appellate court will not ordinarily be exercised if adequate relief appears to be available in a district court. If relief is available in the district court, the petition shall state, in addition to all other necessary allegations, the reasons why the action is brought in the appellate court instead of in the district court. In the event the appellate court finds that adequate relief is available in the district court, it may dismiss the action or order it transferred to the appropriate district court. The rule plainly requires the petition to state why original jurisdiction has been invoked only if relief is available in the district court. The record demonstrates that this is not the case here. On May 14, 2007, CHPP filed a motion requesting that Judge Anderson issue an order to show cause why Kline should not be held in contempt; an order directing Kline to surrender all copies of all patient records obtained through the inquisition; and an order directing Kline to appear and give an accounting under oath of disposition of the records. Judge Anderson denied the motion. Moreover, Rule 9.01(a)'s permissive approach to exercise of this court's jurisdiction also is clear. Even if the record were not as explicit as it is on Judge Anderson's decision not to provide CHPP the relief it seeks, this court has discretion to exercise its original jurisdiction even if relief also is available in the district court.