The federal trial between the historic Cozy Inn and the City of Salina has been cancelled, with the judge indicating the mural dispute case will be resolved through legal rulings rather than a jury trial.
According to a civil minute sheet filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, attorneys for both sides participated in a telephone conference with Judge Toby Crouse regarding their currently scheduled trial. The trial, which was set to begin October 7, 2025, was described as the fourth attempt to schedule proceedings in the case.
During the 10-minute conference, the parties agreed that "all the issues presented in the parties' summary judgment papers are legal questions that can be resolved without a trial." As a result, the parties' remaining pretrial obligations have been suspended and the current trial setting has been cancelled.
The court has scheduled an in-person status conference for 9:00 a.m. on October 22, 2025, to address any remaining claims that survive the anticipated summary judgment ruling.
