New chief judge of Court of Appeals named

TOPEKA—Judge Richard D. Greene has been appointed chief judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals to succeed outgoing Chief Judge Gary W. Rulon, who will retire at the end of his term January 10.

The appointment was made by the Supreme Court and is effective upon Judge Rulon’s retirement. Rulon had been chief judge of the Court since 2001, and a member of that Court since 1988. Judge Greene has been a judge on the Court of Appeals since 2003.

In announcing the appointment, Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss praised both Court of Appeals judges for their legal ability and caseload management skills. “This is an important position in the Kansas court system, and I know Judge Greene will lead the court with his vision and dedication to the judicial branch,” Chief Justice Nuss said.

Judge Greene was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Kathleen Sebelius after practicing law for 28 years in the firm of Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy, which has offices in Topeka and Wichita. A native of Hermann, Missouri, he received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1972, and a law degree from Southern Methodist University-Dallas in 1975. After joining the Court of Appeals, Judge Greene completed the Appellate Judges’ School at New York University, and he has completed additional judicial courses at the University of Mississippi and at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.

Judge Greene has often been appointed to sit with the Supreme Court and has authored several significant opinions for that court. He currently serves as chair of the Kansas Bar Association’s Annual Survey of Law Committee, and as a member of other KBA committees. He has often been a lecturer or education panel member at Kansas law schools as well as many state and national meetings of legal and civic associations. Judge Greene received the Distinguished Service Award of the Kansas Bar Association in 2007.

Judge Greene and his wife, Mary Sue, have a blended family of four daughters; Kristin, Julie, Katie, and Jenny.