Kansas Supreme Court Justice Nancy Moritz has been confirmed to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 5. The Kansas Bar Association has congratulated Moritz on her appointment and Sen. Jerry Moran released a statement.
“Justice Moritz joins the 10th U.S. Circuit Court well prepared as the result of a distinguished legal career both in private and public practice, with 10 years of experience as a judge, including more than three as a justice on the Kansas Supreme Court,” Sen. Moran said. “In addition to her legal experience, Nancy was raised in the close-knit Kansas town of Tipton. I know the people of Tipton well, and I am confident Nancy’s service on the Tenth Circuit will be guided by the values we hold in Kansas, including empathy for others and respect for the rule of law.”
“The KBA is pleased to have this important position filled by a Kansan who is as qualified as Justice Moritz,” said KBA President Dennis Depew. “We thank her for her outstanding service to our state and wish her the best in her new position serving the Tenth Circuit.”
After graduating from Washburn University School of Law in 1985 with her Juris Doctorate, Moritz would spend the majority of her legal career in public service. Prior to her appointment to the bench Moritz served as a research attorney with the Supreme Court, as well as an assistant U.S. attorney and appellate coordinator with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas City, Kan. She was first appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in 2004 and Gov. Mark Parkinson then appointed her to the Supreme Court in 2010. She is a native of Beloit, Kan., and was raised in Tipton, Kan.
The 10th Circuit, based in Denver, hears appeals from the district courts located within its circuit (Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming) as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies.