Sedgwick County Commission should step up for domestic abuse victims | Opinion
Disappointing.
That’s the best description of the Sedgwick County Commission punting a decision Wednesday on expanding its contract with Kansas Legal Services to provide representation for victims of domestic violence seeking protection from abuse orders.
The Sedgwick County District Court is asking the commission to increase county support for the nonprofit law firm from $30,000 a year to $55,000, so the court can expand the protection from abuse docket from half a day on Thursday each week to a full day, to better accommodate a rapidly rising number of victims.
The PFA docket is where victims go to court to get an order requiring their abusive spouse, ex-spouse or domestic partner to stay away and leave them alone. Cases run the spectrum from brutal to life-threatening.
KLS plays a vital role in the process by providing no-cost legal representation to these victims — almost all women, often with children who have also been abused.
The extra $25,000 to expand the hours of representation is a drop in the ocean compared to the county budget. But commissioners balked, and delayed the decision for a month to allow Commissioner Jim Howell more time to engage in anti-tax grandstanding.
Meanwhile, the PFA docket overfloweth.
Sedgwick County has seen a 30% increase in PFA filings in the last three years, from 2,202 in 2023 to 2,861 in 2025, according to figures provided to the commission by Court Administrator Joni Wilson.
The PFA hearings have to be held in the jury room at the courthouse, because it’s the only room in the building big enough.
Even there, crowding is a problem because of the sheer volume of cases and the need to keep the plaintiffs and defendants separated while waiting for one of the judges to call them forward.
Every Thursday afternoon, Kansas Legal Services sends four to six lawyers, plus paralegals. They circulate through the victims’ side of the room offering free legal representation to all who need it.
Howell derails aid for abuse victims
Watching the commission meeting Wednesday, I expected to come out of it writing a good-news column about Sedgwick County doing the right thing for abused women and children. It was pretty clear there were at least the three votes needed to move forward.
But then, Howell happened.
He launched into a monologue, saying he wants victims to be able to get the help they need. But, he continued, “What’s the fund balances at KLS? Where does money come from? Or is there a sliding scale (for payment)? Is there a means testing? Is there any way that we can solve this problem without going to taxpayers?”
“If there is no other option, I guess I’ve got to tell taxpayers — I know it’s just $25,000 — but that’s a tax increase,” he added. “We have to raise your taxes, a small amount of money relative to our total budget, but that’s what we have to do.”
Somebody should have thrown a penalty flag for unnecessary hyperbole.
The county wouldn’t have to raise taxes. It maintains a public safety contingency fund specifically to cover mid-year expenses like this, said Finance Director Lindsay Poe Rousseau.
All the commissioners needed to do was approve transferring the money. It works out to about 4/1000 of 1% of the $622 million county budget.
Howell also suggested that the program should be means tested, to ensure that it’s not providing free legal services to domestic violence victims who might be able to afford to hire a lawyer. “Some of the clients may have the ability to pay, some may not, we don’t know,” he said.
That’s ridiculous. Domestic abuse is all about control, and way too often the abuser controls the finances.
The woman trying to escape for the good of herself and her children may not be able to write a check for legal fees, no matter how much money’s in the family bank account.
You’d think that being the most experienced commissioner, with 11 years in county office and four in the state Legislature before that, Howell would have a better grasp of domestic abuse issues than he demonstrated Wednesday.
In any case, it’s reprehensible to suggest that domestic violence victims should have to pay to get a court order to get the abuse stopped. If the commissioners can’t handle that, we should be asking why they’re there.
Legal services are critical for abuse victims
The county’s support, while important, doesn’t cover the expenses of the legal services KLS provides.
I spoke with Matthew Keenan, executive director of KLS, and he said the funding comes from a variety of sources, including federal grants and donations.
“For example, we receive supplemental funding from a campaign called ‘We Are Legal Aid’ which is an initiative from law firms across Kansas,” he said. “In Wichita we have about 10 law firms who donate to KLS specifically for domestic violence. This raises about $80,000 that is used for DV.”
Last year, KLS represented 1,320 clients in Sedgwick County in the PFA process — 984 of them very-low-income.
“We represent all victims at the docket unless there are conflicts (of interest) or a request not to be assisted,” Keenan said. “We provide direct representation throughout the process, which includes assistance with the restraining order, custody, and housing if that is necessary.”
“We are able to negotiate with the defendant and mediate an agreement in the majority of cases, saving the county from conducting trials . . . In addition, we also provide safety planning. We work in coordination with the victim advocates in the court system.”
I don’t know if you’ve priced legal services lately, but I have and Sedgwick County is getting a lot of bang for a relatively few bucks.
What happens in counties that don’t have the same supports we do here?
It’s simple. Most domestic abuse victims have to try to navigate the system on their own.
Keenan just finished a project studying PFAs in Miami County, a southern suburb of the Kansas City metro area. Last year, out of 113 PFA cases there, only seven plaintiffs were represented by an attorney at their hearing, he said.
“And guess who does have attorneys? The alleged abusers have attorneys,” he said. “So the playing field is not level.”
I don’t like taxes any better than the next person.
But I’m more than willing to kick in a penny or so a year to help women and children victimized by domestic abuse get a fair shake from the court system.
Who’s with me?
This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 7:55 AM.
