Douglas County judge Carl Folsom advances for Kansas Supreme Court seat

Carl Folsom III, a Douglas County District Court judge who handles domestic cases, misdemeanors and other civil matters rooted in everyday disputes, is now one step away from the Kansas Supreme Court. His selection as one of three finalists puts a Lawrence-based judge in contention for a seat that shapes statewide law, while also signaling a possible loss on the local bench.

The Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission narrowed the field from seven applicants after public interviews on May 21, then sent three names to Gov. Laura Kelly. Along with Folsom, the finalists are Krishnan Christopher Jayaram, a district judge from Lenexa, and Robert James Wonnell, a district judge from Olathe. Kelly has 60 days to choose one nominee. The vacancy opened when Justice Marla Luckert retired effective March 28 after more than 23 years on the Kansas Supreme Court and 34 years of judicial service overall.

Kansas uses a merit-selection system for Supreme Court vacancies, a process approved by voters in 1958. Under that system, the commission reviews applications, conducts public interviews and forwards three nominees to the governor. Any new justice then faces a retention vote after one year on the court, and if retained serves a six-year term.

Folsom’s background helps explain why he advanced. He was appointed to the Douglas County District Court in 2022 after building experience as an assistant federal public defender in Kansas and Oklahoma, a partner in the Bell Folsom law firm and an appellate defender with the Kansas Appellate Defender’s Office. KU Law says he currently handles general civil litigation, domestic and limited actions, and he has taught Trial Advocacy as an adjunct professor since 2018. That mix of trial, defense and appellate work gives him a profile shaped by both courtroom practice and legal instruction.

For Lawrence and Douglas County, the decision carries more than symbolism. If Folsom is chosen, the county would lose one of its sitting judges and the local court would have to absorb the change in assignments and case management. The judge’s current docket already touches families, neighborhoods and public safety issues that come before the district court every day, and his departure would leave that work to be redistributed across the bench. Lawrence also had three applicants in the race, including Folsom, Amy Hanley and Meryl Carver-Allmond, underscoring how closely the vacancy resonated here.