Judge Carl Folsom, III: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Carl Folsom, III is a judge for the 7th Judicial District Court of Kansas in Douglas County. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Laura Kelly in 2022, filling a newly created position.

Folsom presides over Chapter 60 Major Civil, Chapter 61 Limited Civil, and Domestic dockets.

Prior to his appointment, he was an assistant federal public defender with the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas since 2013. Folsom began his tenure as a federal public defender in Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 2012, starting as a research attorney before transitioning into the role of assistant public defender the following year. Before that, he was a partner at Bell Folsom, P.A. (2010 to 2012) and an appellate defender with the Kansas Appellate Defender’s Office (2005 to 2010).

Folsom received a B.A. in political science from the University of Kansas in 2002. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Kansas School of Law in 2005.

He served as president of the Judge Hugh Means American Inn of Court and was on the Board of Directors for Just Food. Folsom has also taught Trial Advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas School of Law since 2015.