The Kansas Supreme Court

The following information is taken predominantly from the Kansas Supreme Court Website, where you can find more detail about each justice as well as the Court’s history and constitutional role, access to live audio of its hearings, published opinions, etc.

Contact Information

The Kansas Supreme Court
301 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka Kansas 66612-1507
Telephone:  785.296.2256
Fax:  785.296.7076
Email: info@kscourts.org

The Supreme Court is the highest court in Kansas. It consists of seven justices, each of whom is selected by the governor. The governor appoints from a list of three qualified individuals submitted by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission. After the first year in office, a justice is subject to a retention vote in the next general election. If a majority of electors votes to retain the justice, he or she remains in office for a term of six years. Justices are subject to a similar retention vote at the conclusion of each term.

The justice who is senior in terms of continuous service is designated by the Constitution as the chief justice, unless he or she declines or resigns the position. The chief justice exercises the administrative authority of the court.

Justices of the Supreme Court ordinarily do not conduct trials. They decide an appealed case by reading the record of the trial and written briefs filed by the parties, and hearing oral arguments of lawyers. They research and review the law involved in the case and then write an opinion which is usually published in bound volumes.

Honorable Robert E. Davis

Chief Justice, 2009-present

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 1993-2009

Political party registration:  Democrat

Retention election in Nov 2012 for term expiring Jan 2013.

Robert E. Davis was graduated from Creighton University, Omaha, Neb. with a bachelor's degree in 1961 and received his law degree from Georgetown University Law School, Washington D.C. in 1964. A member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, Justice Davis served as trial counsel in the Republic of Korea and as government appellate counsel in Washington D.C. from 1964- 1967.  He engaged in private practice in Leavenworth from 1967 to 1984 when he was appointed associate district judge. After serving as an associate district judge for two years, Justice Davis was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals in 1986. He served in that capacity until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Honorable Lawton R. Nuss

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2002 –present

Political party registration:  Republican

Retention election in Nov 2010 for term expiring Jan 2011.

Lawton R. Nuss was graduated from the University of Kansas in January 1975 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English and History and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He then served as a combat engineering officer with the Fleet Marine Force Pacific. After his discharge in 1979, he entered law school at the University of Kansas and graduated in May 1982 and began his law practice with the Salina firm of Clark Mize & Linville. He was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Bill Graves in August 2002, becoming the first Court member in more than 20 years to move directly from the bar to the bench.   Justice Nuss is also a graduate of the Appellate Judges School at New York University School of Law.

Honorable Marla J. Luckert

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2003- present

Political party registration:  Republican

Retention election in Nov 2010 for term expiring Jan 2011.

Marla J. Luckert received a bachelor of arts in history in May 1977 and her juris doctorate in 1980 from Washburn University of Topeka.   Upon her admission to practice in 1980, she joined the Topeka firm of Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds and Palmer. She had a general litigation and health law practice and served as an adjunct professor of law at Washburn University.   In 1992 she was appointed by Governor Joan Finney to the Third Judicial District Court and became that court’s chief judge in 2000.   Governor Bill Graves appointed her to the Kansas Supreme Court effective January 13, 2003.

Honorable Carol A. Beier

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2003- present

Political party registration:  Democrat

Retention election in Nov 2010 for term expiring Jan 2011.

Carol A. Beier attended Benedictine College in Atchison and the University of Kansas, Lawrence, where she obtained a B.S. in Journalism in 1981. Before law school, she worked as an editor at The Kansas City Times. Justice Beier received her law degree from the University of Kansas in 1985.   She also graduated from the University of Virginia School of law, Graduate Program for Judges in 2004, with an LL.M., Masters of Law in the Judicial Process.  She practiced in Washington D.C. and then spent eleven years at Foulston & Siefkin, L.L.P., in Wichita before becoming a judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals in February 2000.  Justice Beier was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Kathleen Sebelius on September 5, 2003.

Honorable Eric S. Rosen

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2005- present

Political party registration:  Democrat

Retention election in Nov 2008 for term expiring Jan 2009.

Eric S. Rosen received both a Bachelors and a Masters Degree from the University of Kansas, then his law degree from the Washburn University School of Law in 1984.  Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was a partner in the Topeka law firm of Hein, Ebert and Rosen.  His experience includes service as Associate General Counsel for the Kansas Securities Commissioner, as an Assistant District Attorney, and as Assistant Public Defender in Shawnee County.  Shortly after becoming State District Court Judge in Shawnee County in 1993, he served two years as chief judge of the Domestic Division from 1993 to 1995.  Following 12 years as a State District Court Judge, Justice Rosen was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court in November 2005.

Honorable Lee A. Johnson

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2007- present

Political party registration:  Republican

Retention election in Nov 2008 for term expiring Jan 2009.

Lee A. Johnson received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Kansas in 1969. After serving two years on active duty with the U.S. Army, he became a licensed insurance agent.   He graduated Washburn University School of Law in 1980 as Summa Cum Laude, then practiced law in Caldwell, Kansas; first in partnership with Don B. Stallings and later as a sole practitioner. He served as Mayor of Caldwell in 1975-1976, and as Caldwell City Attorney from 1987 to 1997.   He was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court effective January 8, 2007, following his tenure on the Kansas Court Appeals from 2001 – 2007.

Honorable Dan Biles

Justice, Kansas Supreme Court 2009- present

Political party registration:  Unaffiliated

Retention election in Nov 2008 for term expiring Jan 2009.

Contributed money numerous times to Sebelius campaign, and other politicians with statist views

Appointed by Gov. Sebelius, Dan Biles was born August 12, 1952, in El Dorado, KS and served as a partner in the law firm of Gates, Biles, Shields & Ryan, P.A., Overland Park.  He represented the Kansas State Board of Education as its attorney from 1985 and during the 2005 special session.  He also served as general counsel for the Kansas Turnpike Authority. A graduate of the Washburn University School of Law and Kansas State University, he received a BS in Journalism in1974.  Justice Biles was on the board of directors of Community Living Opportunities Inc., a Kansas not-for-profit corporation serving more than 300 children and adults with severe developmental disabilities in residential, day programs and case management. He also served as an advisory board member of the Johnson County Housing Coalition, a Kansas not-for-profit organization providing low cost housing and affordable homeownership in Johnson County for low-income residents.  He is a past chair of the National Council of State Education Attorneys, which is associated with the National Association of State Boards of Education, Washington, D.C.

Supreme Court Nominating Commission

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission is an independent constitutional body created by the Kansas Constitution, art. 3, § 5(g), and governed by K.S.A. 20-119 et seq.

The Commission is a nine-member board responsible for recommending qualified individuals for appointment to the Kansas Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals. Four of the Commission's members are non-attorneys appointed by the Governor; four others are attorneys selected by attorneys in each of the State's four Congressional Districts. The Chair of the Commission is an attorney elected by attorneys in a statewide vote.  Each term on the Commission, whether an elected or appointed position, is for four years and nobody may serve more than two terms.

The Commission sends the names of three qualified individuals to the Governor for each vacancy. The Governor interviews the candidates and makes the appointment.   The relevant statute regarding the Governor’s appointment of non-attorney commissioners is K.S.A. 20-124, which requires that “All appointments by the governor shall be without regard to the political affiliations of the appointees.”

Commission Chairman

Richard C. Hite, Wichita, KS

     Attorney elected 2001, reelected 2005.  Current term expires June 30, 2009.

     Registered Republican

First Congressional District

Kerry E. McQueen, Liberal, KS

     Attorney elected 2006.  Current term expires June 30, 2011.

     Registered Republican

Janet A. Juhnke, Salina, KS

     Appointed by Gov. Sebelius in 2006.  Current term expires June 30, 2011.

     Registered Democrat

Second Congressional District

Patricia E. Riley, Topeka, KS

     Appointed by Gov. Sebelius in 2003, reappointed 2007. Current term expires

     June 30, 2011.

     Registered Democrat

Dale E. Cushinberry, Topeka, KS

     Appointed by Gov. Sebelius in 2003, reappointed 2007. Current term expires

     June 30, 2011.

     Registered Democrat

Third Congressional District

Thomas J. Bath, Jr., Overland Park, KS

     Attorney elected 2000, reelected 2004.  Current term expires June 30, 2008.

     Registered Republican

Vivien B. Jennings, Fairway, KS

     Appointed by Gov. Sebelius in 2004.  Current term expires June 30, 2008.

     Registered Democrat

Fourth Congressional District

Lee H. Woodard, Wichita, KS

     Attorney elected 2001, reelected 2005. Current term expires June 30, 2009.

     Registered Democrat

David N. Farnsworth, Wichita, KS

     Appointed by Gov. Sebelius in 2005.  Current term expires June 30, 2009.

     Registered Democrat