Courts in Kansas
| More information on Kansas's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In Kansas, there is a single federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Kansas' state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Kansas judicial elections and Judicial selection in Kansas
Selection of state court judges in Kansas occurs largely through gubernatorial appointment, paired with either assisted appointment or senate confirmation depending on the level of the court. Several district courts also utilize partisan elections.[1][2]
Judges chosen through political appointment must run in yes-no retention elections if they wish to serve subsequent terms; judges chosen in partisan elections must run for re-election to remain on the court.[1][2] For more information on these elections, see the Kansas judicial elections page.
After their appointment to the Kansas Supreme Court, judges serve for at least one year, after which they stand for retention. Subsequent terms are six years. Judges appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas District Courts serve an initial term of at least one year, after which they stand for retention. Their subsequent terms are four years in length. District court judges elected in a partisan election also serve four-year terms.
Retained and re-elected judges' terms begin on the second Monday in January following the general election.[1]
To read more about judicial elections in Kansas, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district court in Kansas is the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.
Appeals from this district go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
Active judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 6, 2008 - |
Wichita State University, 1979 |
Washburn University Law, 1985 |
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| May 1, 2014 - |
Ottawa University, 1978 |
University of Kansas Law, 1981 |
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| April 16, 2018 - |
University of Texas, Austin, 1991 |
Washburn University School of Law, 2002 |
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| August 3, 2018 - |
University of Kansas School of Engineering, 2002 |
University of Kansas, School of Law, 2006 |
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| December 2, 2020 - |
Kansas State University, 1997 |
University of Kansas School of Law, 2000 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 1
- Republican appointed: 4
Bankruptcy courts
There is one federal bankruptcy courts in Kansas. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy court in Kansas is:
State supreme court
- See also: Kansas Supreme Court
Founded in 1861, the Kansas Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships.[2][3]
The court hears direct appeals from district courts in criminal cases and appeals in any case in which a statute has been held unconstitutional. It may review Kansas Court of Appeals rulings or may transfer cases from that court to the supreme court. The supreme court also has original jurisdiction in several types of cases.[2]
Through the state constitution, the court has general administrative authority over all Kansas courts.[2]
According to the Kansas Constitution, the justice with the most years of service on the court is to serve as the chief justice, unless they decline or resign the position. The chief justice has general administrative supervision over the court and of the unified judicial branch.[3]
The following justices sit on the Kansas Supreme Court.
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| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Supreme Court | Daniel Biles | Nonpartisan | January 7, 2009 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Marla Luckert | Nonpartisan | January 13, 2003 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Eric Rosen | Nonpartisan | 2005 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Melissa Standridge | Nonpartisan | December 14, 2020 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Caleb Stegall | Nonpartisan | December 5, 2014 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Keynen Wall | Nonpartisan | August 3, 2020 |
| Kansas Supreme Court | Evelyn Z. Wilson | Nonpartisan | January 24, 2020 |
State court of appeals
- See also: Kansas Court of Appeals
The Kansas Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in Kansas and has 14 members. Judges are appointed by the governor and confirmed by a majority vote of the state senate for four-year terms. Judges who wish to serve additional terms must run in retention elections. The Kansas Supreme Court selects the chief judge of the court of appeals. The chief judge assigns judges to panels and selects cases for each three-judge panel.[4]
The court hears all appeals from district courts in both civil and criminal cases (except those appealed directly to the state supreme court) and from Kansas Corporation Commission orders. The court may hear appeals 'en banc', which means by all of its judges. Typically, the court sits in three-judge panels.[4] The court has original jurisdiction in habeas corpus actions.[5]
The following judges sit on the Kansas Court of Appeals.
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
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April 22, 1993 - Present |
Joan Finney |
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2013 - Present |
Sam Brownback |
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December 5, 2003 - Present |
Kathleen Sebelius |
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May 2, 2003 - Present |
Kathleen Sebelius |
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March 4, 2011 - Present |
Mark Parkinson |
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July 14, 2010 - Present |
Mark Parkinson |
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May 29, 2019 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
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June 3, 2011 - Present |
Sam Brownback |
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January 29, 2015 - Present |
Sam Brownback |
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May 17, 2022 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
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March 23, 2021 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
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April 30, 2021 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
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February 26, 2021 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
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April 27, 2023 - Present |
Laura Kelly |
Trial courts
District courts
- See also: Kansas District Courts
The Kansas district courts are the trial courts of Kansas. Created by the Kansas Constitution, the district courts have general original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases including:[6][7]
- Divorce and domestic relations;
- Damage suits;
- Probate and administration of estates, guardianships, conservatorships;
- Care of the mentally ill;
- Juvenile matters;
- Small claims.
Kansas is divided into thirty-one judicial districts. The number of judges varies from district to district. Judicial districts are grouped into six judicial departments and each department is assigned to a state supreme court justice. The departmental justice may reassign judges between judicial districts. There is one district court in each county.[6]
The Kansas Supreme Court appoints one judge in each district to serve as chief judge. A chief judge has general control over case assignments within the district and general supervisory authority over the clerical and administrative functions of the court.[6]
Municipal courts
- See also: Kansas Municipal Courts
The Kansas Municipal Courts handle cases involving traffic and other minor offenses. The judge hears cases without a jury, also known as bench trials. Anyone convicted of an offense in municipal court may appeal to the county district court where the municipal court is located.[8]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Kansas," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 CyberCivics, "Judicial Branch » Kansas Supreme Court," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kansas Judicial Branch, "Supreme Court," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kansas Judicial Branch, "Court of Appeals," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ CyberCivics, "Judicial Branch » Kansas Court of Appeals," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Kansas Judicial Branch, "District Courts," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ CyberCivics, "Judicial Branch » Kansas District Courts," accessed March 10, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Judicial Branch, "Municipal Courts," accessed March 10, 2021
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Kansas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Kansas
State courts:
Kansas Supreme Court • Kansas Court of Appeals • Kansas District Courts • Kansas Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Kansas • Kansas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kansas
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