United States District Court for the District of Kansas

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 July 31, 2025 the interim United States attorney is Ryan Kriegshauser. On March 12, 2015, Ronald L. Miller, most recently police chief of Topeka, Kansas, was confirmed as U.S. Marshal. The clerk of court is Skyler B. O'Hara, who is located in Topeka. Current judges As of June 18, 2026: Former judges Chief judges 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 U.S. Attorneys Andrew Jackson Isacks 1854-57 William Weer 1857-58 Alson C. Davis 1858-61 Thomas Means 1861 John T. Burris 1861 Robert Crozier 1861-64 James S. Emory 1864-67 Samuel Riggs 1867-69 Albert H. Horton 1869-73 Cyrus I. Scofield 1873 George R. Peck 1874-79 James R. Hallowell 1879-85 William C. Perry 1885-89 Joseph W. Ady 1889-93 William C. Perry 1893-97 Isaac E. Lambert 1897-1901 John S. Dean 1901-05 Harry J. Bone 1905-13 Fred Robertson 1913-21 Albert F. Williams 1921-30 Sardius M. Brewster 1930-34 Summerfield S. Alexander 1934-42 George H. West 1942-45 Randolph Carpenter 1945-48 Lester Luther 1948-52 Eugene W. Davis 1952-53 George Templar 1953-54 William C. Farmer 1954-58 William C. Leonard 1958-61 Newell A. George 1961-68 Benjamin E. Franklin 1968-69 Robert J. Roth 1969-75 E. Edward Johnson 1975-77 James P. Buchele 1977-81 Jim J. Marquez 1981-84 Benjamin L. Burgess, Jr. 1984-90 Lee Thompson 1990-93 Jackie N. Williams 1993 Randy Rathbun 1993-96 Jackie N. Williams 1996-2001 Eric Melgren 2002-2008 Marietta Parker 2008-2009 Lanny Welch (acting) 2009-2010 Barry Grissom 2010-2016 Stephen McAllister 2018-2021 Duston J. Slinkard (acting) 2021-2023 Kate E. Brubacher 2023-2025 Duston J. Slinkard (acting) 2025 Ryan A. Kriegshauser 2025-Present See also Courts of Kansas List of current United States district judges List of United States federal courthouses in Kansas References External links Official website United States Attorney for the District of Kansas Official Website