Sebelius names Leben to Kansas Court of Appeals
Fairway resident served as district judge in Johnson County for 13 years

Citing experience gained as a district judge and as an attorney in private practice, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has named Steve A. Leben to the Kansas Court of Appeals.

“Steve is not only an accomplished jurist, but a respected teacher, writer and leader in his field,” Sebelius said. “He has a deep understanding of the law and a commitment to fairness and justice in its application.”

Leben, Fairway, earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kansas in 1978 and 1982, respectively. While at KU, Leben was elected student body president and in the year before law school he served as press secretary for U.S. Congressman Bob Whittaker, R-Kansas.  

Upon earning his law degree, Leben served as an associate with Stinson, Mag & Fizzell (now Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP) before going on to operate a solo practice for five years in Overland Park.  He was named a district judge in Johnson County in 1993.

Leben currently teaches a course on statutory interpretation at the KU School of Law, a course he previously taught at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Center for State Courts in 2003 and the Outstanding Service Award from the Kansas Bar Association in 2000.

Leben is president of the American Judges Association, the largest independent judges organization in the U.S. with 2,300 members. Since 1998, he has been the editor of Court Review, a quarterly journal for judges. 

The Kansas Court of Appeals is located in Topeka in the Kansas Judicial Center and is an intermediate appellate court. The Court of Appeals hears all appeals from orders of the Kansas Corporation Commission, and all appeals from the district courts in both civil and criminal cases, except those which may be appealed directly to the Kansas Supreme Court.  It also has jurisdiction over original actions in habeas corpus.

The court may hear appeals en banc (all 12 judges) but the court usually sits in panels of three. The Court of Appeals may sit anywhere in the state. Hearings are scheduled regularly in Hays, Garden City, Wichita, Chanute, Kansas City, Olathe, and Topeka, and hearings have also been held in other cities for the convenience of the parties.

Leben replaces Justice Lee Johnson whom the Governor appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court earlier this year.

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