Governor Laura Kelly announced on March 4 the appointment of Judge Lori Bolton Fleming to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Henry Green on the Kansas Court of Appeals, according to a press release from the governor.
That is the second of four steps in the process of filling the vacancy.
The next step was for the Senate Judicial to pick her for that role and the final step is for approval from the Kansas Senate, sometime in the next few weeks, Fleming said in an interview.
Fleming is a Fort Scott High School graduate and also taught there for a year, she said.
She was inspired to attend law school by some of her students who were in the foster care system.
“They were involved in the juvenile justice system, and I hoped to advocate, be a good voice for kids,” she said.
Bolton Fleming lives in Pittsburg, Kansas, and is the Chief Judge for the 11th Judicial District, which includes Cherokee, Labette, and Crawford counties.
“I am confident Judge Bolton Fleming will be an exceptional addition to the Kansas Court of Appeals,” Governor Laura Kelly said in the press release. “Her extensive legal career, commitment to public service, and strong reputation will make her an excellent Court of Appeals Judge.”
Fleming’s Background
Governor Sam Brownback appointed Bolton Fleming as a district court judge in 2012. As a district court judge, she handles a wide variety of cases including felony criminal, child in need of care, Chapter 60 civil, and domestic cases. She has conducted jury trials for high-level criminal and civil cases as well as bench trials and has frequently been invited to sit with the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court to hear and assist in deciding cases. In total, she has rendered opinions in 38 cases as an assigned appellate judge.
Bolton Fleming was appointed as chief judge by the Kansas Supreme Court in 2021. In this role, she oversees the operations of the 11th Judicial District, which covers five courthouses in southeast Kansas. As chief judge, she is responsible for the creation of the 11th Judicial District’s first recovery court and serves as the administrator of the program.
“It is my honor to be selected by Governor Kelly to serve on the Kansas Court of Appeals,” said Fleming. “I intend to work hard every day to be the best possible appellate judge for all Kansans.”
She has spent her entire legal career in southeast Kansas and would be one of the few rural voices on the Kansas Court of Appeals. The majority of the justices come from Wichita, Topeka or Kansas City.
“I feel it’s important to have rural representation on the Court of Appeals,” she said.
Prior to her judicial appointment, Bolton Fleming served as an assistant county attorney in Crawford County before specializing in legal research and writing for Spigarelli Law Firm. She then practiced with Wilbert and Towner law firm, working on criminal, civil, juvenile, business, adoption, and probate cases.
Bolton Fleming is active in her local community through many volunteer efforts, including partnering with Pittsburg State University to create a pre-law internship program to help address the rural attorney shortage. She has also served on several Kansas Supreme Court committees, including the Rural Justice Initiative, the Pretrial Justice Task Force, the Kansas Digital Evidence Advisory Group, the COVID Jury Trial Advisory Group, and the Cybersecurity Committee.
Prior to joining the legal profession, Bolton Fleming served as an elementary music and English teacher at Fort Scott High School and Leavenworth Public Schools.
Bolton Fleming graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in 2001, where she served as the editor-in-chief of the Washburn Law Journal. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Pittsburg State University in 1996.
Very proud of Judge Bolton Fleming’s achievements. Governor said it all so well. Lori is a credit to her family, her profession, and her community.