Kansas Supreme Court to Honor Linda Elrod with Prestigious Justice Award

by Derek White

May 20, 2025 – Topeka, KS 

The Kansas Supreme Court will recognize a distinguished figure in family law with one of its highest honors. Linda Elrod, Richard S. Righter Distinguished Professor of Law Emerita at Washburn University School of Law, will receive the Justice Award during a special session at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, in the Supreme Court courtroom at the Kansas Judicial Center.

The Justice Award honors individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing justice in Kansas. Elrod is the 18th recipient since the award’s inception in 1989 and notably, the first woman to receive it.

Chief Justice Marla Luckert praised Elrod for her extensive impact on family law, both in Kansas and beyond. “Her work has created ripple effects across the country and around the world,” Luckert said, highlighting Elrod’s commitment to improving the legal system for children and mentoring generations of legal professionals.

Elrod, who called the honor a “once-in-a-lifetime” recognition, said she is proud of her lifetime spent advocating for children and shaping future lawyers. “I’ve tried to give children a voice and to make the system work better to protect them,” she said.

A trailblazer throughout her career, Elrod was the first woman in many roles—top of her 1972 law class, president of the Topeka Bar Association, and editor of the Family Law Quarterly. She also founded the family law certificate program at Washburn Law, which has prepared over 130 graduates for careers in child advocacy and family law.

Elrod’s legacy spans decades of teaching, writing, and public service. She contributed to the development of Kansas’s modern court system and authored the enduring Kansas Family Law Handbook. Her service includes long-term roles on both the Governor’s Child Support Commission and the Kansas Supreme Court Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee.

The livestream of the award presentation will be available at www.youtube.com/KansasSupremeCourt/streams.

The award includes a $500 stipend and permanent recognition outside the Supreme Court courtroom. It is funded by earnings from a grant given to the Kansas courts for innovations in reducing case resolution time.

For media inquiries, contact Lisa Taylor, Public Information Director, at lisa.taylor@kscourts.gov or 785-640-7997.