United States District Court for the District of Kansas
| District of Kansas |
|---|
| Tenth Circuit |
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| Judgeships |
| Posts: 6 |
| Judges: 5 |
| Vacancies: 1 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Eric Melgren |
| Active judges: John Broomes, Daniel D. Crabtree, Toby Crouse, Eric Melgren, Holly Lou Teeter Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the District of Kansas is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses in Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.[1] When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in downtown Denver, Colorado, at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.
Vacancies
- See also: Current federal judicial vacancies
There is one current vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, out of the court's six judicial positions.
Pending nominations
There are no pending nominees for this court.
Active judges
Article III 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 |
Active Article III judges by appointing political party
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
Senior judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 4, 2008 - |
University of Kansas, 1965 |
University of Kansas Law, 1968 |
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| November 2, 2010 - |
Yale University, 1967 |
University of Kansas, School of Law, 1970 |
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| April 22, 2014 - |
University of Kansas, 1971 |
University of Kansas Law, 1975 |
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| January 14, 2022 - |
University of Kansas, 1978 |
University of Kansas Law, 1981 |
Senior judges by appointing political party
Below is a display of the number of senior 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:
- Republican appointed: 4
Magistrate judges
Federal magistrate judges are federal judges who serve in United States district courts, but they are not appointed by the president and they do not serve life terms. Magistrate judges are assigned duties by the district judges in the district in which they serve. They may preside over most phases of federal proceedings, except for criminal felony trials. The specific duties of a magistrate judge vary from district to district, but the responsibilities always include handling matters that would otherwise be on the dockets of the district judges. Full-time magistrate judges serve for renewable terms of eight years. Some federal district courts have part-time magistrate judges, who serve for renewable terms of four years.[2]
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 - |
University of Nebraska, 1977 |
Creighton University School of Law, 1980 |
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| 2010 - |
Loyola University - Louisiana |
Washburn University Law School |
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| 2014 - |
University of Kansas, 1981 |
University of Kansas, 1984 |
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| 2015 - |
Washburn University, 1989 |
Washburn University Law School, 1992 |
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| March 25, 2019 - |
Baker University, 1996 |
University of Kansas School of Law, 2000 |
Former chief judges
In order to qualify for the office of chief judge in an Article III circuit or district court, or on the United States Court of International Trade, a judge must be in active service and hold seniority over the court's commissioned judges who are 64 years of age or under, have served one year or more, and have not previously served as chief judge.[3]
In the event that no judge on the court meets those qualifications, the youngest judge in regular active service aged 65 years or more and who has served as a judge for one year or more shall become chief judge. If no judge meets those qualifications, the judge holding seniority in active service who has not served as chief before shall become the chief judge.[4][5][6]
The chief judge serves for a term of seven years until another judge becomes eligible to serve in the position. No judge is permitted to serve as chief judge after reaching the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve.[4][5][6]
Unlike the chief justice of the United States, a chief judge returns to active service after the expiration of their term and does not create a vacancy on the court by the fact of their promotion.[3][4][5][6]
On the United States Court of Federal Claims, the chief judge is selected by the president of the United States. The judge must be less than 70 years of age. A chief may serve until they reach age 70 or until another judge is designated by the president as the new chief judge. If the president selects a new chief judge, the former chief judge may continue active service on the court for the remainder of their appointed term.[7]
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Former judges
For more information about the judges of the District of Kansas, see former federal judges of the District of Kansas.
Jurisdiction
The District of Kansas has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The court's headquarters are in Wichita, with courthouses in Kansas City and Topeka.
Caseloads
This section contains court management statistics dating back to 2010. It was last updated in September 2024.
Click [show] below for more information on caseload terms and definitions.
| Caseload statistics explanation | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Explanation | ||||||||
| Cases filed and terminated | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated or decided by the court in a calendar year. The chart below reflects the table columns Cases filed and Cases terminated. | ||||||||
| Average time from filing to disposition | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to date of disposition (acquittal, sentencing, dismissal, etc.). The chart below reflects the table columns Median time (Criminal) and Median time (Civil). | ||||||||
| Starting case load | The number of cases pending from the previous calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases filed | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases terminated | The total number of civil and criminal lawsuits decided by the court in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Remaining cases | The number of civil and criminal cases pending at the end of a given year. | ||||||||
| Median time (Criminal) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. In criminal cases, the date of disposition occurs on the day of sentencing or acquittal/dismissal. | ||||||||
| Median time (Civil) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. | ||||||||
| Three-year civil cases | The number and percent of civil cases that were filed more than three years before the end of the given calendar year. | ||||||||
| Vacant posts | The number of months during the year an authorized judgeship was vacant. | ||||||||
| Trial/Post | The number of trials completed divided by the number of authorized judgeships on the court. Trials include evidentiary trials, hearings on temporary restraining orders, and preliminary injunctions. | ||||||||
| United States District Court for the District of Kansas caseload stats, 2010-2023 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Cases Filed | Cases Terminated | Cases Pending | Number of Judgeships | Vacant Judgeship Months | Average Total Filings per Judgeship | Trials Completed per Judgeship | Median time from filing to disposition, criminal | Median time from filing to disposition, civil | Three-year civil cases (#) | Three-year civil cases (%) |
| 2010 | 2,449 | 2,504 | 2,103 | 6 | 2 | 408 | 27 | 9 | 8 | 111 | 8 |
| 2011 | 2,296 | 2,245 | 1,903 | 6 | 12 | 382 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 115 | 8 |
| 2012 | 2,855 | 2,614 | 2,372 | 6 | 12 | 476 | 29 | 7 | 7 | 110 | 7 |
| 2013 | 2,442 | 2,573 | 2,229 | 6 | 12 | 407 | 22 | 9 | 9 | 132 | 10 |
| 2014 | 2,415 | 2,490 | 2,144 | 6 | 9 | 403 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 120 | 9 |
| 2015 | 5,384 | 3,939 | 3,593 | 6 | 12 | 897 | 23 | 10 | 2 | 78 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2,602 | 2,421 | 3,771 | 6 | 12 | 434 | 21 | 11 | 8 | 71 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2,233 | 3,226 | 2,767 | 6 | 20 | 372 | 21 | 12 | 19 | 76 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2,305 | 2,199 | 2,869 | 6 | 24 | 384 | 21 | 11 | 8 | 826 | 38 |
| 2019 | 2,335 | 2,989 | 2,195 | 6 | 0 | 389 | 22 | 11 | 22 | 85 | 6 |
| 2020 | 2,026 | 2,109 | 2,102 | 6 | 9 | 338 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 63 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1,967 | 2,237 | 1,832 | 6 | 0 | 328 | 13 | 18 | 8 | 98 | 9 |
| 2022 | 1,810 | 2,093 | 1,578 | 6 | 24 | 302 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 113 | 12 |
| 2023 | 1,837 | 1,863 | 1,561 | 6 | 21 | 306 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 57 | 6 |
| Average | 2,497 | 2,536 | 2,359 | 6 | 12 | 416 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 147 | 9 |
History
The District of Kansas was established by Congress on January 29, 1861, with one post to cover the entire state. Over time, five additional judicial posts were added for a total of six current posts.[8]
Judicial posts
The following table highlights the development of judicial posts for the District of Kansas:[8]
| Year | Statute | Total Seats |
| January 29, 1861 | 12 Stat. 126 | 1 |
| October 16, 1945 | 59 Stat. 545 | 2(1 temporary) |
| 1946 | Temporary post expired | 1 |
| August 3, 1949 | 63 Stat. 493 | 2 |
| May 19, 1961 | 75 Stat. 80 | 3 |
| March 18, 1966 | 80 Stat. 75 | 4(1 temporary) |
| June 2, 1970 | 84 Stat. 294 | 4 |
| October 20, 1978 | 92 Stat. 1629 | 5 |
| December 1, 1990 | 104 Stat. 5089 | 6(1 temporary) |
Federal Judicial Conference recommendation (2019)
In March 2019, the Federal Judicial Conference (FJC) recommended that one temporary judgeship in the district be made permanent.[9] Based on FJC data, the district handled 345 weighted filings per judgeship from September 2017 to September 2018. Weighted filings are a specific metric used by the federal judiciary that accounts for the different amounts of time judges require to resolve types of civil and criminal cases. The national average in that period for weighted filings per judgeship was 513.[10]
The FJC is the policy-making body for the United States federal courts system. It was first organized as the Conference of Senior Circuit Judges in 1922.[11] The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States serves as chair of the conference. The members of the conference are the chief judge of each judicial circuit, the Chief Judge of the Court of International Trade, and a district judge from each regional judicial circuit.[12]
Noteworthy cases
For a searchable list of opinions, please see Opinions for the District of Kansas.
| • Kansas abortion clinic regulations (2011) Judge(s):Carlos Murguia | Click for summary→ |
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On July 1, 2011, Judge Carlos Murguia issued a temporary restraining order blocking the enforcement of a new Kansas law which outlined requirements for licensing abortion clinics. The justification for the temporary injunction came from the short time frame the state provided clinics to come into compliance with new, strict regulations. The state issued the requirements only two weeks before the clinics had to be in compliance, leaving little time for the clinics to make the major changes required. Clinics argued that the abortion regulations were overbearing, with one group arguing that the law would require them to virtually rebuild their building. They argued that the licensing regulations and the time line were simply an attempt on the part of the governor and the state to criminalize abortion in Kansas. However, abortion opponents argued that the clinics were unsafe and "cite[d] instances of poor medical care, including the case of an abortion doctor in Kansas City, Kan., who lost his license in 2005 after state inspectors found an unclean facility and improperly stored medical supplies."[13] | |
| • Government grant scam (2009) Judge(s):Julie Robinson | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
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On July 22, 2009, Judge Robinson ordered the assets of five Kansas companies frozen over their involvement in a government grant scam.[14] The judge ordered the asset freeze after the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to stop the companies from allegedly deceiving customers into paying for help to obtain non-existent government grants.[14] Prospective customers were sent postcards to buy a grant kit which costs $69 and were called by a telemarketer to purchase additional grant research.[14] | |
| • David Wittig case (2009) Judge(s):Julie Robinson (USA v. Weidner, et al - David C. Wittig, 5:2002-cr-40140) | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
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In 2009, Judge Robinson presided over the case of David Wittig, the former CEO of Westar Energy. Wittig was found guilty of bank fraud in 2003 when the former CEO extended a $1.5 million loan to Topeka banker Clinton Odell Weidner for a property deal in Arizona.[15] Judge Robinson ruled that Wittig could be released from prison on September 4, 2009, despite a resolution from federal prosecutors to keep Wittig in jail over an unrelated case awaiting trial.[15] | |
Federal courthouse
Robert J. Dole Courthouse
The Robert J. Dole Courthouse is located at 500 State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.
Frank Carlson Federal Building
The Frank Carlson Federal Building is located at 444 S.E. Quincy in Topeka, Kansas.
Wichita U.S. Courthouse
The Wichita U.S. Courthouse is located at 401 N. Market in Wichita, Kansas.
About United States District Courts
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. There are 94 such courts. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of both law and equity.
There is a United States bankruptcy court and a number of bankruptcy judges associated with each United States district court. Each federal judicial district has at least one courthouse, and most districts have more than one.
There is at least one judicial district for each state, and one each for Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. District courts in three insular areas—the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—exercise the same jurisdiction as U.S. district courts. Despite their name, these courts are technically not District Courts of the United States. Judges on these territorial courts do not enjoy the protections of Article III of the Constitution, and serve terms of 10 years rather than for life.
There are 677 U.S. District Court judgeships.[16][17]
The number of federal district judge positions is set by the U.S. Congress in Title 28 of the U.S. Code, Section 133, which authorizes a set number of judge positions, or judgeships, making changes and adjustments in these numbers from time to time.
In order to relieve the pressure of trying the hundreds of thousands of cases brought before the federal district courts each year, many trials are tried by juries, along with a presiding judge.[18]
Appointments by president
The chart below shows the number of district court judges confirmed by the U.S. Senate through November 1 of the fourth year of each president's term in office. At this point in the term, President Bill Clinton had the most district court appointments with 169.
Judges by district
- See also: Judicial vacancies in federal courts
The table below displays the number of judges in each district and indicates how many were appointed by presidents from each major political party. It also includes the number of vacancies in a district and how many pending nominations for that district are before the United States Senate. The table can be sorted by clicking the column headers above the line, and you can navigate through the pages by clicking the arrows at the top of the table. It is updated every Monday.
Judicial selection
The district courts are served by Article III federal judges who are appointed for life during "good behavior." They are usually first recommended by senators (or members of the House, occasionally). The President of the United States makes the appointments, which must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate in accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution.[17]
| Step |  Candidacy Proceeds
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 Candidacy Halts
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|---|---|---|
| 1. Recommendation made by Congress Member to the President | President Nominates to Senate Judiciary Committee | President Declines Nomination |
| 2. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews Candidate | Sends candidate to Senate for confirmation | Returns candidate to President, who may re-nominate to Committee |
| 3. Senate votes on candidate confirmation | Candidate becomes federal judge | Candidate does not receive judgeship |
Magistrate judges
The district courts are also served by magistrate judges. Congress created the judicial office of federal magistrate in 1968. In 1990, the position title was changed to magistrate judge. The chief judge of each district appoints one or more magistrate judges, who discharge many of the ancillary duties of district judges so judges can handle more trials. There are both full-time and part-time magistrate judge positions, and these positions are assigned to the district courts according to caseload criteria (subject to funding by Congress). A full-time magistrate judge serves a term of eight years; a part-time magistrate judge's term of office is four years.[19]
See also
- United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
- U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the District of Kansas Official Website
- United States Attorney for the District of Kansas Official Website
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, "Home page," accessed July 16, 2019
- ↑ U.S. District Court- N.J., "magistrate judges," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 United States Courts, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 136 - Chief judges; precedence of district judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 258 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 45 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑ Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 171 - Appointment and number of judges; character of court; designation of chief judge," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Federal Judicial Center, "U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas: Legislative History," accessed May 10, 2021
- ↑ Federal Judicial Conference, "March 2019 Recommendations," accessed July 25, 2019
- ↑ US Courts, "Table X-1A—Other Judicial Business (September 30, 2018)," accessed July 24, 2019
- ↑ US Courts, "Governance & the Judicial Conference," accessed July 25, 2019
- ↑ US Courts, "About the Judicial Conference," accessed July 25, 2019
- ↑ [https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jul/01/federal-judge-blocks-new-kansas-licensing-law-regu/ LJ World, "Federal judge blocks Kansas licensing rules for abortion clinics," July 1, 2011
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 [https://www.thekansan.com/article/20090724/NEWS/307249970 The Kansan, "Kansas AG cracks down on ‘guaranteed’ grant scheme," July 24, 2009
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Topeka Business Journal, "Judge approves Wittig’s release," August 3, 2009
- ↑ US Courts, "Federal Judgeships," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 U.S. Courts, "United States District Court Federal Judiciary Frequently Asked Questions," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑ United States District Courts, "District Courts," accessed May 10, 2021
- ↑ The 'Lectric Law Library, "Understanding the U.S. federal courts"
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Eric Melgren • Daniel D. Crabtree • Holly Lou Teeter • John Broomes • Toby Crouse | ||
| Senior judges |
Kathryn Vratil • Monti Belot • John Lungstrum • Julie Robinson • | ||
| Magistrate judges | James O'Hara (Kansas) • Kenneth Gale • Teresa J. James • Gwynne Birzer • Angel Mitchell • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
Wesley Brown • Sam Crow • John Marten • Carlos Murguia • Mark W. Delahay • Archibald Williams • Cassius Gaius Foster • William Cather Hook • John Calvin Pollock • George Thomas McDermott • Richard Joseph Hopkins • Guy Helvering • Delmas Hill • Patrick Kelly (Kansas) • Arthur Mellott • Earl O'Connor • Dale Saffels • Arthur Stanley • Henry Templar • Frank Theis • George VanBebber • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Wesley Brown • John Lungstrum • Julie Robinson • Delmas Hill • Patrick Kelly (Kansas) • Arthur Mellott • Earl O'Connor • Arthur Stanley • Frank Theis • George VanBebber • | ||
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
