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Terms Used In Kansas Statutes 61-2706

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

(a) Whenever a plaintiff demands judgment beyond the scope of the small claims jurisdiction of the court, the court shall either: (1) Dismiss the action without prejudice at the cost of the plaintiff; (2) allow the plaintiff to amend the plaintiff’s pleadings and service of process to bring the demand for judgment within the scope of the court’s small claims jurisdiction and thereby waive the right to recover any excess, assessing the costs accrued to the plaintiff; or (3) if the plaintiff’s demand for judgment is within the scope of the court’s general jurisdiction, allow the plaintiff to amend the plaintiff’s pleadings and service of process so as to commence an action in such court in compliance with Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 61-1703 and amendments thereto, assessing the costs accrued to the plaintiff.

(b) Whenever a defendant asserts a claim beyond the scope of the court’s small claims jurisdiction, but within the scope of the court’s general jurisdiction, the court may determine the validity of defendant’s entire claim. If the court refuses to determine the entirety of any such claim, the court must allow the defendant to: (1) Make no demand for judgment and reserve the right to pursue the defendant’s entire claim in a court of competent jurisdiction; (2) make demand for judgment of that portion of the claim not exceeding $4,000, plus interest, costs and any damages awarded pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 60-2610 and amendments thereto, and reserve the right to bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for any amount in excess thereof; or (3) make demand for judgment of that portion of the claim not exceeding $4,000, plus interest, costs and any damages awarded pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 60-2610 and amendments thereto, and waive the right to recover any excess.