Former Chief Judge Gary Rulon of the Kansas  Court of Appeals passed away on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 following a lengthy illness.  Kansas Governor Laura Kelly  ordered flags around the state to be flown at half-staff in remembrance   “From his time in the Navy to his tenure on the bench, Judge Rulon spent his life in service to Kansas  and our country,” Governor Kelly said. “He undoubtedly touched the lives of many. My thoughts and condolences go out to his loved ones.”

Rulon, 83, was born in Manhattan, Kan. on May 18, 1941.   Rulon and his wife,  Patricia, had  two daughters and six grandchildren.

Judge Rulon grew up in Topeka, Kansas  and following his graduation from Topeka High School in 1959, he began an apprenticeship in plumbing. In 1962, he volunteered to enlist in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and volunteered to serve in Vietnam

Following  his discharge from the Navy, he   received  his undergraduate and law degrees from Washburn University and entered into private practice in Emporia, Kansas . After seven years he became a staff attorney for the   10th Circuit in Denver, Colorado. He later returned to Emporia  and in January, 1981  was appointed Chief Judge of the Fifth Judicial District. where he served   for more than seven years.  While there, he  presided  over one of the first televised cases in Kansas .   Lawyers and fellow judges praised his intelligence, compassion, and knowledge of  the law. He gained a reputation as a legal scholar, turning out clear, concise, articles for legal journals and professional conferences.

In January, 1988, Judge Rulon was appointed to the Kansas  Court of Appeals in Topeka and was elevated to Chief Judge in 2001. As Chief, he championed open media coverage of appellate proceedings, administrative streamlining, and docket control.  . In January 2011, he retired after serving nearly 30 years as a member of the Kansas  Judiciary.

Rulon was a past member of the Kansas Bar Association, served as vice-chairman of the Kansasa Sentencing Commission, and was a member of the Kansas Judicial Council’s PIK Committee.   He was also a member of the Council of Chief Judges of the States Court of Appeals in the United States.

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