Anthony J. Powell

Anthony Powell
Powell in 2026
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 18, 2026
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byJulie A. Robinson
Solicitor General of Kansas
In office
January 9, 2023 – June 18, 2026
Appointed byKris Kobach
Preceded byBrant Laue
Judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals
In office
January 12, 2013 – June 30, 2022
Appointed bySam Brownback
Preceded byRichard D. Greene
Succeeded byRachel L. Pickering
Judge of the Kansas District Court for Sedgwick County
In office
2003 – January 12, 2013
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
from the 85th district
In office
1995 – January 13, 2003
Preceded byRichard Lahti
Succeeded bySteve Brunk
Personal details
BornAnthony John Powell
1962 (age 63–64)
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationGeorge Washington University (BA)
Washburn University (JD)

Anthony John Powell (born 1962) is an American attorney, jurist, and former politician serving as a district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas since 2026. He served as the solicitor general of Kansas from 2023 to 2026, and as a former judge of Kansas Court of Appeals from 2013 to 2022. Powell represented the 85th district in the Kansas House of Representatives as a Republican from 1995 to 2003.

Early life and education

Powell was born in 1962, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[1] He received his Bachelor of Arts in political science from George Washington University in 1985 and his Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law in 1991.[2]

Political career

Powell served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives for eight years as a Republican. In the state legislature, he held the positions of majority whip, chairman of several committees (including Federal and State Affairs, Ethics and Elections, and the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations), and vice-chairman of the Taxation Committee.[3] He represented the 85th district.

Kansas District Court

In 2003, he was appointed as a judge on Sedgwick County District Court (eighteenth judicial district). He served in that role until early 2013, when he was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals.[4]

Kansas Court of Appeals

On January 12, 2013, Kansas governor Sam Brownback elevated Powell to the Kansas Court of Appeals. Powell was appointed to the seat last held by the late Chief Judge Richard D. Greene[5].[2] He was retained by voters in 2014.[6] Powell retired from the Kansas Court of Appeals on June 30, 2022.[7] On August 26, 2022, Governor Laura Kelly nominated Judge Rachel L. Pickering as Powell's successor.[8] Pickering was unanimously confirmed by the Kansas Senate on January 22, 2023.[9]

Solicitor General of Kansas

On December 18, 2022, Powell was named the Kansas Solicitor General, Kansas' top appellate attorney, by then state attorney general-elect Kris Kobach.[10] Following the start of Kobach's term, Powell succeeded Brant Laue as Kansas Solicitor General on January 9, 2023.[11][12]

Federal judicial service

On February 18, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Powell to serve as a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.[13] On April 15, 2026, he testified with the Senate Judiciary Committee for his nomination to the District Court of Kansas. On May 14, 2026, his nomination was reported to the full Senate by a 12–10 party line vote. On June 10, 2026, the United States Senate invoked cloture on a 48–45 vote. On the same day he was confirmed by the Senate in a 50–44 vote.[14] He received his judicial commission on June 18, 2026.[15]

Personal life

Powell and his wife, Betty, have four children. He is a member of Central Christian Church in Wichita.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Powell, Anthony John (June 9, 2026). "Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire" (PDF). www.judiciary.senate.gov. Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Honorable Anthony J. Powell Judge of the Court of Appeals 2013-". kscourts.org.
  3. ↑ "Anthony J. Powell". Kansas Courts. Kansas Judicial Branch. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  4. ↑ "Judge Anthony J. Powell". www.dc18.org. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  5. ↑ "Governor appoints Judge Kim Schroeder and Judge Anthony Powell to Kansas Court of Appeals". www.leaderandtimes.com. January 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "2014 General Election: Official Vote Totals" (PDF). www.sos.ks.gov. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  7. ↑ Taborda, Noah (2022-06-06). "Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Anthony Powell to retire June 30". Kansas Reflector. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  8. ↑ "Media Release: Governor Laura Kelly Appoints Judge Rachel L. Pickering to Kansas Court of Appeals". Kansas Office of the Governor. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  9. ↑ "W. Kansas woman confirmed to Kansas Board of Regents". Hays Post. 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  10. ↑ "Kobach Selects Former Court of Appeals Judge as Solicitor General". Kris Kobach for Attorney General. 2022-12-18. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  11. ↑ Carpenter, Tim. "Kansas attorney general-elect selects retired appellate judge to be state's solicitor general". Kansas Reflector. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  12. ↑ "Democratic Kansas Gov. Kelly to start 2nd term; Kobach is AG". www.kwch.com. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  13. ↑ Alatidd, Jason. "These 3 Kansans nominated for federal judgeships by Donald Trump". The Topeka Capital-Journal.
  14. ↑ "PN851-5 - Nomination of Anthony J. Powell for The Judiciary, 119th Congress (2025-2026)". www.congress.gov. June 13, 2026.
  15. ↑ Anthony J. Powell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
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