Wheel-chaired protester Fred Bursack has 60 days to look for an attorney before a judge decides whether Bursack will be banned from the Cowley County Courthouse area long-term.
Bursack was in a Winfield courtoom Wednesday just long enough to request more time to find an attorney. He was slapped with a temporary protection from stalking order last week when district court employees reported Bursack was following them.
A hearing in the case was rescheduled for June 15, at which time Senior Judge Ron Innes will decide if the temporary ban becomes permanent. During the next two months, the temporary order remains in effect and Bursack must keep away from the courthouse and court workers.
Because protection orders are considered a civil matter, Bursack will have to retain and pay for an attorney on his own.
He told the judge he was looking for an attorney "that’s not biased and doesn’t have a conflict of interest."
"I’ve not found any (attorney) that could be here today," Bursack said.
Innes ? a judge who was brought in from outside this court district because those who asked for the protection order include court officials and a judge from Cowley County ? said he thought the request was appropriate.
While a protection order is a civil matter, Innes said, Bursack could face jail time if he violated the order, thus legal counsel seemed necessary.
