TOPEKA– Lesley Ann Isherwood of Wichita will be sworn in as a judge on the Kansas Court of Appeals at 2 p.m. Friday, April 30.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Court of Appeals YouTube channel.
Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger will preside over the ceremony, with a small number of Isherwood's family and friends in attendance. Court of Appeals judges will join by videoconference. Isherwood will be introduced by Debra Peterson, a former colleague and longtime friend.
Governor Laura Kelly appointed Isherwood February 18 to fill a vacancy created by Judge Steve Leben's resignation. The Senate confirmed Isherwood's appointment March 23.
Before her appointment to the court, Isherwood was a senior assistant district attorney for Sedgwick County. She has argued hundreds of cases before the Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas Supreme Court.
That experience will serve her well as an appellate judge, she said.
"I have a keen understanding of criminal law in Kansas," she said, noting that about 75% of cases the Court of Appeals hears are criminal cases.
Isherwood estimates during her career she has written about 1,300 briefs submitted to either the Court of Appeals or the Kansas Supreme Court. She also has argued 400 appeals before the two courts. At the same time, she has read hundreds of briefs written by other lawyers.
"I have essentially been tutored how to draft opinions that are engaging without sacrificing clarity," she said. "It will be my goal to write opinions that are concise and unambiguous. A person might not always agree with my conclusion, but the path I follow to reach that conclusion will be transparent."
Isherwood saw firsthand the significant impact courts have on people's daily lives during her more than two decades as an attorney.
"The need for conflict resolution will forever be a part of the fabric of our society. Our judicial system ensures the presence of a safe haven for the peaceful resolution of such disputes," she said.
Sometimes the resolution of those disputes are appealed. An appellate court reviews the written record of the district court to determine whether any significant legal errors occurred. The written record includes evidence admitted during a trial, transcripts of witness testimony, and court rulings.
While a case before a district court directly effects the parties involved, an appellate decision can have a broader impact, Isherwood said.
"Appellate courts interpret and apply statutory and regulatory laws and principles of law. Their decisions establish precedent, which serves to guide the district courts’ resolution of similar cases going forward. Their decisions also can offer insight to how laws and policies are likely to be applied in the future," she said.
In writing their decisions, appellate judges have a significant responsibility to uphold the rule of law, she said.
"They are entrusted to ensure the laws governing the people are consistently applied freely, fairly, and impartially," she said. "In Kansas, we are graced with an appellate court that is comprised of intelligent, kind, compassionate, and insightful individuals who have a deep, abiding respect for the responsibility with which they have been entrusted."
Isherwood said she is eager to begin work as an appellate judge and, in particular, to join judges when they resume in-person sessions.
The Court of Appeals is a traveling court and, before the pandemic, convened at locations across Kansas. Court of Appeals judges have been hearing oral arguments by videoconference since May.
"I’m looking forward to that day when the court resumes its travels so I can meet people from parts of the state I didn't have the opportunity to visit during my years as a prosecutor," she said.
Biographical information
Isherwood received a bachelor's degree with honors in English from Washburn University in 1995. She received her law degree from Washburn University School of Law in 1998.
Before joining the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office in 1999, she worked for a year as an associate in a Dodge City law firm.
Isherwood was the Wichita Business Journal's "40 Under 40" honoree in 2012. She is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, National District Attorneys Association, and Kansas County and District Attorneys Association.
She lives in Wichita with her family.
In-person swearing-in ceremonies
Usually swearing-in ceremonies take place in the Kansas Supreme Court courtroom filled with guests, including current and past Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices. Other guests include federal judges, district court judges, members of the legislative and executive branches, law related organizations, and the justice's family members and friends. Current restrictions on mass gatherings make an in-person ceremony impractical.
Retention elections
After a new judge serves one year on the court, he or she must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the judge serves a four-year term.