Washburn Law Alumna Nancy Moritz Confirmed to Serve on 10th Circuit Court of Appeals

After three years on the Kansas Supreme Court, The Honorable Nancy L. Moritz, ’85, was confirmed by the United States Senate to be a federal judge for the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Moritz, a Tipton, Kan. native, is the second Washburn University School of Law graduate to be named to this prestigious court and the first in more than 50 years, following in the footsteps of illustrious alumnus Delmas C. Hill, llb ’29, who was appointed in 1961.

After a favorable Senate vote of 90-3 on Monday, Moritz will replace fellow Kansan, Deanell Tacha, who retired in 2011. She was nominated by President Barack Obama in August 2013.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Justice Moritz and it serves to highlight her amazing legal career,” said Dean Thomas J. Romig.  “She exemplifies the character and caliber of our Washburn Law graduates, and we are thrilled about her well-deserved appointment to this prestigious court. Having one of our graduates elevated to the national legal arena honors the abilities and attributes of Justice Moritz and generates excitement and pride among faculty, alumni, and students at Washburn Law who applaud her hard-earned success.”

This is a lifetime appointment for Moritz to the Tenth Circuit, which is located in Denver and reviews cases from Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.

Moritz’s law career has been steeped in public service. In 1985, she was a research attorney with the Kansas Supreme Court. From 1987 to 1989 she served as a law clerk to the United States District Court in Wichita. After leaving private practice in 1995, she became an assistant U.S. attorney in Kansas City, Kansas, and later in Topeka. In 2010, Moritz was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Governor Mark Parkinson. She was appointed to the appellate court in Kansas by Governor Kathleen Sebelius in 2004.

Moritz has also served on Washburn University School of Law’s Board of Governors.