J. Thomas Marten

John Thomas Marten (born 1951) is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.

See also John Marten (academic) (died 1473), Master of University College, Oxford, England.

J. Thomas Marten
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas
Incumbent
Assumed office May 1, 2017
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas
In office April 22, 2014 – May 1, 2017
Preceded by	Kathryn H. Vratil
Succeeded by	Julie A. Robinson
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas
In office January 4, 1996 – May 1, 2017
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Patrick F. Kelly
Succeeded by	John W. Broomes
Personal details
Born	John Thomas Marten 1951 (age 68–69) Topeka, Kansas
Education	Washburn University (B.A.) Washburn University School of Law (J.D.)

Education and career

Born in Topeka, Kansas, Marten received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washburn University in 1973 and a Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law in 1976. He was a law clerk to former Associate Justice Tom C. Clark of the Supreme Court of the United States while Clark had senior status and was a visiting judge on several United States Courts of Appeals from 1976 to 1977. He was in private practice in Omaha, Nebraska from 1977 to 1980, then in Minneapolis, Minnesota until 1981, and then in McPherson, Kansas until 1996.

Federal judicial service

On October 18, 1995, Marten was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas vacated by Patrick F. Kelly. Marten was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 2, 1996, and received his commission on January 4, 1996. He served as Chief Judge from April 22, 2014 to May 1, 2017. He assumed senior status on May 1, 2017.

Notable case

On August 15, 2013, Judge Marten held that an abortion opponent's letter to a Wichita doctor stating that someone might place an explosive under her car, absent sufficient contextual evidence indicating an imminent threat, is constitutionally protected speech and not a "true threat" under existing law.[1] Judge Marten noted that the government supplied no evidence that actual violence against Dr. Mila Means was likely or imminent, especially since after receiving the letter the doctor changed plans to provide abortion services in Kansas.[2]

References

1. "United States v. Dillard, 898 F. Supp. 2d 1169 (D. Kan. 2013)".
2. "Judge sides with abortion opponent over alleged threat - Ruling says no evidence of real threat provided". Topeka Capital Journal. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.

Sources

• J. Thomas Marten at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Patrick F. Kelly	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas 1996–2017	Succeeded by John W. Broomes
Preceded by Kathryn H. Vratil	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas 2014–2017	Succeeded by Julie A. Robinson