Judge Evaluations
Christel Marquardt
Court of Appeals

The Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Christel E. Marquardt BE RETAINED.

Judge Marquardt was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals in 1995. In addition to her duties as an appellate judge, Judge Marquardt serves on the Kansas Sentencing Commission and the Kansas Criminal Code Recodification Commission. Judge Marquardt is a graduate of Missouri Western State University and Washburn University School of Law. Before her appointment to the bench, Judge Marquardt engaged in the private practice of law for 21 years.

Judge Marquardt is a past president of the Kansas Bar Association and current member of the KBA Board of Governors. She has previously served on the American Bar Association Board of Governors and has chaired various ABA committees. Judge Marquardt has received numerous awards including the Chief Justice Kay McFarland Award in 2008, the Washburn University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004, and the Washburn University Law School Distinguished Service Award in 2002. She also serves on the Washburn University Board of Regents and the Topeka Symphony Board of Directors, and is a member of Rotary and the American Business Women's Association.

As her greatest strengths, Judge Marquardt states that she writes well-reasoned opinions in a timely manner and treats participants with courtesy and dignity. She acknowledges that she holds strong opinions and sometimes shares her opinions when it might be better to remain silent. One professional goal is to help complete the recodification of the Kansas Criminal Code and have the Code enacted by the legislature.

The Commission received survey responses from 20 attorneys and 140 district judges. Survey results showed that 89% of the attorneys and 92% of the district judges recommended that Judge Marquardt be retained in office. Judge Marquardt received an overall average score from attorneys of 3.33 on a 4.0 scale and an overall average score from district judges of 3.48. Judge Marquardt's scores exceed the required minimum average grade of 2.0 from each category of respondents. The Commission recommends that she BE RETAINED.

Judge Marquardt's ratings from attorneys ranged from ratings of 3.7 in the areas of being courteous toward attorneys and issuing opinions without unnecessary delay to ratings of 2.7 in the area of making reasoned decisions based upon the law and facts and 2.9 in the areas of exhibiting scholarly legal analysis in opinions and writing opinions that adequately explain the basis of the court's decision. Judge Marquardt's ratings from district court judges ranged from ratings of 3.8 in the area of behaving in a manner free from impropriety or the appearance of impropriety and 3.7 in the areas of allowing parties to present their arguments and answer questions and being prepared for oral argument to ratings of 3.2 in the areas of writing clear opinions, making reasoned decisions based upon the law and facts, and writing opinions that exhibit scholarly legal analysis.