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United States District Court for the District of Kansas

Coordinates: 39°07′01″N 94°37′20″W / 39.11701°N 94.62218°W / 39.11701; -94.62218
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States District Court for the District of Kansas
(D. Kan.)
LocationKansas City
More locations
Appeals toTenth Circuit
EstablishedJanuary 29, 1861
Judges6
Chief JudgeEric F. Melgren
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyKate E. Brubacher
U.S. MarshalRonald L. Miller
www.ksd.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the District of Kansas (in case citations, D. Kan.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Kansas. The Court operates out of the Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas, the Frank Carlson Federal Building in Topeka, and the United States Courthouse in Wichita. The District of Kansas was created in 1861, replacing the territorial court that preceded it, and President Abraham Lincoln appointed Archibald Williams as the Court's first judge.

Appeals from the District of Kansas are made to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

As of March 10, 2023 the United States attorney is Kate E. Brubacher. On March 12, 2015, Ronald L. Miller, most recently police chief of Topeka, Kansas, was confirmed as U.S. Marshal.[1]

The clerk of court is Skyler B. O'Hara, who is located in Topeka.

Current judges

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As of December 2, 2022:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
27 Chief Judge Eric F. Melgren Wichita 1956 2008–present 2021–present G.W. Bush
28 District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree Kansas City 1956 2014–present Obama
29 District Judge John W. Broomes Wichita 1969 2018–present Trump
30 District Judge Holly Teeter Kansas City 1979 2018–present Trump
31 District Judge Toby Crouse Topeka 1975 2020–present Trump
32 District Judge vacant
21 Senior Judge John Watson Lungstrum Kansas City 1945 1991–2010 2001–2007 2010–present G.H.W. Bush
22 Senior Judge Monti Belot inactive 1943 1991–2008 2008–present G.H.W. Bush
23 Senior Judge Kathryn H. Vratil Kansas City 1949 1992–2014 2008–2014 2014–present G.H.W. Bush
26 Senior Judge Julie A. Robinson Kansas City 1957 2001–2022 2017–2021 2022–present G.W. Bush

Vacancies and pending nominations

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Seat Prior judge's duty station Seat last held by Vacancy reason Date of vacancy Nominee Date of nomination
5 Kansas City Julie A. Robinson Senior status January 14, 2022
7 Daniel D. Crabtree August 11, 2025[2]

Former judges

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# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Archibald Williams KS 1801–1863 1861–1863 Lincoln death
2 Mark W. Delahay KS 1828–1879 1863–1873[Note 1] Lincoln resignation
3 Cassius Gaius Foster KS 1837–1899 1874–1899 Grant retirement
4 William Cather Hook KS 1857–1921 1899–1903 McKinley elevation to 8th Cir.
5 John Calvin Pollock KS 1857–1937 1903–1937 T. Roosevelt death
6 George Thomas McDermott KS 1886–1937 1928–1929 Coolidge elevation to 10th Cir.
7 Richard Joseph Hopkins KS 1873–1943 1929–1943 Hoover death
8 Guy T. Helvering KS 1878–1946 1943–1946 F. Roosevelt death
9 Arthur Johnson Mellott KS 1888–1957 1945–1957 1948–1957 Truman death
10 Delmas Carl Hill KS 1906–1989 1949–1961[Note 2] 1957–1961 Truman elevation to 10th Cir.
11 Arthur Jehu Stanley Jr. KS 1901–2001 1958–1971 1961–1971 1971–2001 Eisenhower death
12 Wesley E. Brown KS 1907–2012 1962–1979 1971–1977 1979–2012 Kennedy death
13 Henry George Templar KS 1904–1988 1962–1974 1974–1988 Kennedy death
14 Frank Gordon Theis KS 1911–1998 1967–1981 1977–1981 1981–1998 L. Johnson death
15 Earl Eugene O'Connor KS 1922–1998 1971–1992 1981–1992 1992–1998 Nixon death
16 Richard Dean Rogers KS 1921–2016 1975–1989 1989–2016 Ford death
17 Dale E. Saffels KS 1921–2002 1979–1990 1990–2002 Carter death
18 Patrick F. Kelly KS 1929–2007 1980–1995 1992–1995 1995–1996 Carter retirement
19 Sam A. Crow KS 1926–2022 1981–1996 1996–2022 Reagan death
20 George Thomas Van Bebber KS 1931–2005 1989–2000 1995–2000 2000–2005 G.H.W. Bush death
24 J. Thomas Marten KS 1951–present 1996–2017 2014–2017 2017–2021 Clinton retirement
25 Carlos Murguia KS 1957–present 1999–2020 Clinton resignation
  1. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 14, 1863, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 15, 1864, and received commission the same day.
  2. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on March 8, 1950, and received commission on March 9, 1950.

Chief judges

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Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

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U.S. Attorneys

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ron Miller confirmed by U.S. Senate as U.S. Marshal for Kansas".
  2. ^ "Future Judicial Vacancies | United States Courts". www.uscourts.gov.
  3. ^ "Kansas Attorneys General". ag.ks.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  4. ^ "The Political Graveyard: U.S. District Attorneys in Kansas". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  5. ^ "District of Kansas | History of the United States Attorney District of Kansas". www.justice.gov. December 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "The United States Department of Justice - United States Attorney's Office". October 15, 2008. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "District of Kansas | Former U.S. Attorney Duston J. Slinkard | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. March 31, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
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39°07′01″N 94°37′20″W / 39.11701°N 94.62218°W / 39.11701; -94.62218