New Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas Is Announced

After more than eight years as Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas, Judge Dale L. Somers will step down as the Chief Judge effective June 15, 2026. He will continue to serve as a Bankruptcy Judge, presiding over cases in Topeka, Kansas City, and Wichita. Judge Somers was appointed as a Bankruptcy Judge on September 19, 2003, and became the Chief Judge on June 1, 2018. During his tenure, the court dealt with several challenges and changes including the pandemic and its attendant transition to remote hearings, fiscal constraints, a government shutdown, and the implementation of new bankruptcy laws such as Subchapter V. His vision of the essential roles of the Judiciary and the Bankruptcy Courts in the fabric of American government was important to the mission of the Kansas Bankruptcy Court.

Bankruptcy Judge Mitchell L. Herren will assume the responsibilities of Chief Judge on June 15, 2026.