Daniel Biles

From Judgepedia

Daniel Biles is a newly appointed Justice to the Kansas Supreme Court. Biles was appointed by Kansas Governor Kathleen Seibelius on January 7, 2009 to replace retiring Chief Justice Kay McFarland. He is up for a retention vote in 2010.

Early life and education

Biles who is a native Kansan, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kansas State University in 1975 and his juris doctorate from Washburn University School of Law in 1980^[1].

Legal career

Before becoming an practicing attorney Biles was a reporter for the Associated Press Kansas Division from 1975 to 1980. After graduating from Law School, Biles joined the Kansas Attorney General's Office from 1980 to 1985 before entering into private practice work as an private practice attorney licensed in the State of Kansas^[1].

Biles in 1985, became a partner of the law firm of Gates, Biles & Shields, P.A. which is based in Overland Park, KS. Biles focused his legal practice in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Administrative Law, Appellate Practice, Real Estate Transaction, Employment Law, Transportation, Municipal Financing, Civil Rights, First Amendment Cases, and Media Law.

Biles while in private practice work was active in political endeavors as he was a member of the Kansas Turnpike Authority Board and also on the Kansas State Board of Education^[1].

Kansas Supreme Court

Biles was one of three candidates recommended by the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission to Kansas Governor Kathleen Seibelius in which on January 7, 2009 Biles was appointed by Governor Seibelus beating out the other two finalists for the slot are which included the Chief Judge of the Douglas County Court Robert Fairchild and Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Tom Malone who were the other choices reccomended by the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission ^[2].

Possible Questions of Biles Appointment to the Supreme Court

The appointment of Daniel Biles has been met with a firestorm of criticism from many Judicial Conservatives over his lack of judicial experience and also from also many ethics watchdog groups over his campaign contributions to Governor Kathleen Seibelius and the Kansas Democratic Party.

Transparency records from KanView show that during the 2008 Fiscal year that Biles was the recipient of over $360,000 of contacts for legal represenation for the Kansas Department of Education, Kansas State Lottery, and the Kansas Department of Transportation^[3]. The amount that Biles has received off of Kansas state contracts along with Biles and his wife and other partners in his law firm giving very generous donations to Governor Kathleen Seibelius and also other prominent candidates including Barack Obama for President raise the question if Biles recieved the appointment on the basis of being a financially generous donor to Kathleen Seibelius.

It is has been noted by the Kansas City Star that Governor Sebelius and her husband have been friends of Biles for more than three decades, starting when the Governor's husband was an attorney for the Topeka School District and Biles was an Associated Press reporter. Seibelius has said that she has relied on Biles for legal advice since becoming governor. What was noted that Biles during the 2002 Govenor's Campaign gave over $1,000 to Seibelius and his wife gave over $1200 from 2002 to 2006 raising the question if patronage in financial terms to Governor Seibelius played a role in his appointment over sound judicial experience^[4].

Associations and Memberships

Biles is a member of the National Council of State Education Attorneys, the Kansas Bar Association; the Kansas Association for Justice, and the Johnson County Bar Association. In addition to his work in the legal community, Biles serves as the director of Community Living Opportunities, Inc., which is a not-for-profit organization serving more than 370 children and adults with severe developmental disabilities specializing in residential, day programs, and case management in Kansas.^{[citation needed]}

References

v • d • e Kansas Supreme Court Current Chief: Davis • Beier • Biles • Johnson • Luckert • Nuss • Rosen Former McFarland