Nancy Louise Moritz at a glance
- Current role
- U.S. Circuit Judge
- Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Jurisdiction
- National federal courts · Federal
- Judicial service
- July 29, 2014–present
Nancy Louise Moritz
U.S. Circuit Judge · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Available research
AI abuse cases
2 casesAI-related ruling · July 1, 2026
Gregory Ashley Moyer v. James V. Murray, et al.
- Court response
- Warning
AI-related ruling · February 9, 2026
Kusmin L. Amarsingh v. Frontier Airlines, Inc.
- Court response
- Monetary Sanction; Bar Referral
Biography
Professional career
- 1985–1987: Research attorney to Justice Harold S. Herd, Kansas Supreme Court
- 1987–1989: Law clerk to Judge Patrick F. Kelly, U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- 1989–1995: Associate at Spencer, Fane, Britt and Browne, Overland Park, KS
- 1995–1999: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kansas City, MO, focusing on medical malpractice and employment discrimination
- 1999–2004: Appellate Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kansas City
- 2004–2011: Judge, Kansas Court of Appeals, appointed by Governor Kathleen Sebelius
- 2011–2014: Justice, Kansas Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Mark Parkinson
- Justice, Kansas Supreme Court, 2011-2014
- Judge, Kansas Court of Appeals, 2004-2011
- appellate coordinator, 2000-2004
- Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Kansas, 1995-2004
- Private practice, Overland Park, KS, 1994-1995
- Private practice, Kansas City, MO, 1991-1993
- Private practice, Overland Park, KS, 1989-1990
- Law clerk, Hon. Patrick F. Kelly, U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 1987-1989
- Research attorney, Hon. Harold S. Herd, Kansas Supreme Court, 1985-1987
Judicial service
- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 2014-present
- Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Nancy Louise Moritz (born 1960 in Beloit, Kansas) is an American federal judge serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit since July 29, 2014.
- In August 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Moritz to replace Deanell Reece Tacha. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 5, 2014, by a 90–3 vote, and received her commission on July 29, 2014. The American Bar Association rated her Unanimously Qualified.
- As a Tenth Circuit judge, Moritz has authored opinions, participated in panels, and addressed a range of cases, including civil, criminal, and administrative matters. Notable recent activity includes dissenting in Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond and authoring opinions in United States v. Barker.
- For official case listings and biographical details, see the Tenth Circuit’s Judge Nancy L. Moritz page.
Education
- Washburn University · B.B.A., 1982
Personal record
Born 1960 · Beloit, KS
Courtroom rules and guidance
Appellate Oral Argument
In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation.
Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessaryFederal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394481CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2312/nancy-louise-moritz/Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure