Rosen replaces retiring Justice Marla Luckert following her October stroke

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Eric Rosen formally stepped into the job of chief justice Thursday by framing the delicate work of the state’s highest court as a crucial public service and proclaiming the citizenry’s diversity of perspective strengthened the rule of law rather than challenged it.

Rosen, who joined the Supreme Court in 2005 after serving a dozen years as a Shawnee County District Court judge, said the rule of law endured not because it was rigid but because its principles could be applied fairly in response to the blended reality of people.

“Over the last 20 years, I have learned that the role of this court is both modest and profound,” he said. “We do not make public policy nor do we do we chase public approval. The oath I swore to you today commands our duty is to interpret and apply the law faithfully, to safeguard constitutional privileges and principles and ensure that justice is administered without fear or favor.”

Rosen said the Supreme Court had to be mindful that the court’s decisions impact the lives of 3 million Kansans and shaped public trust in the judicial branch.

“It is a lived reality that people who come before our courts seek fairness and justice,” Rosen said. “It is complemented by a broader richness of viewpoints and backgrounds that strengthens public trust and deepens our understanding of the law’s impact.”

Rosen was the first Jewish person appointed a district court judge in Kansas and the first in state history to serve on the Supreme Court. He also became Kansas’ first Jewish chief justice. He said he was mindful that being Jewish set him apart in ways that at times were isolating and limiting, but reaching each personal legal milestone wasn’t about distinction for its own sake.

“Equal justice under the law is not self-executed. It requires vigilance. It requires humility and a continued commitment to ensuring that our institutions truly belong to everyone they serve,” Rosen said.

Rosen transitioned to acting chief justice in October after Chief Justice Marla Luckert suffered a stroke. On Jan. 1, Rosen assumed the role of chief justice upon Luckert’s resignation from the position. Rosen moved into the job because of a provision of the Kansas Constitution reserving that role for the justice with the most continuous years of service to the court.

Rosen praised Luckert’s tenure as chief justice and told an audience of about 225 people in the Kansas Judicial Center that he appreciated her steady leadership, integrity and commitment to fairness.

He said the Supreme Court had a duty to honor Luckert’s adherence to principles of thoughtful deliberation, respect for different views and an understanding that justice wasn’t static but something that must be tended with care.

“It’s a bittersweet moment for me to embrace my new charge while preparing to wish a close professional colleague and friend a wonderful, well-earned retirement,” Rosen said.

Luckert, who plans to soon retire from the Supreme Court, said she had worked with Rosen for three decades in the district and appellate courts and recognized he “guarded the principles of fair and equal justice for all litigants.” She said people appearing before Rosen were treated with dignity and assured their disputes would be resolved impartially.

Libby Rosen, the chief justice’s wife, introduced her husband and recalled his pursuit of a dream to leave a career as a school social worker to become a lawyer. He went to law school part-time while raising a family, which offered him important lessons in the precision of words. She recalled Rosen asked his 3-year-old son, who was eating an apple, if he could have a bite.

“Eric paused for a second and went over and bit his father,” she said.

Libby Rosen said that after more than 50 years together the state’s chief justice had shown he was a “calm, fair and reasoned partner as long as it didn’t concern technology.”

She said the couple recently began a daily habit of playing Wordle. She said her skills as a nurse led her to finish faster than her husband. The chief justice, however, was deliberative and considered all angles before advancing in each stage of the game, she said.

“He takes much longer to do it, but he gets it right in fewer tries,” Libby Rosen said.

Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.

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