Court of Appeals

About the Court of Appeals

The 14-judge Court of Appeals hears all appeals from orders of the Kansas Corporation Commission and all appeals from district courts in both civil and criminal cases, except those that may be appealed directly to the Supreme Court.

The court may hear appeals en banc, which means by all 14 of its judges. Most frequently, though, the court sits in panels of three judges.

Court of Appeals judges decide appealed cases by reading the trial record and written briefs filed by the parties, and hearing oral arguments from lawyers. They research and review relevant laws and write decisions, some of which are published in bound volumes.
 

Court of Appeals portrait

Front row left to right: Judge Henry W. Green Jr.; Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger; and Judge Thomas E. Malone. 

Middle row left to right: Judge David Bruns; Judge Stephen D. Hill; Judge G. Gordon Atcheson; and Judge Kim R. Schroeder.

Back row left to right: Judge Angela Coble; Judge Lesley Ann Isherwood; Judge Sarah Warner; Judge Kathryn A. Gardner; Judge Amy Fellows Cline; Judge Jacy J. Hurst; and Judge Rachel Pickering.
 

Role of chief judge

One Court of Appeals judge is selected by the Kansas Supreme Court to serve as chief judge. The chief judge assigns judges to panels, determines venues for arguments, and designates cases for each three-judge panel.
 

Becoming a Court of Appeals judge 

Court of Appeals judges are appointed by the governor and confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate. Judges serve four-year terms and are retained for successive terms by public vote.

 

Historical listing of Court of Appeals judges

Court of Appeals historical listing