Phill Kline Biography

Phill Kline is a fifth-generation Kansan who was sworn in as the 41st Attorney General in Kansas history on January 13, 2003, and who now serves as District Attorney in Johnson County , Kansas .

Born in Kansas City , Kansas , less than nine miles from where his great-great grandfather settled in the Old Quindaro Township in 1870, Phill Kline was one of five children raised by a single parent. That experience taught him early on the importance of hard work, dedication to excellence, and commitment to justice.

A graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Shawnee , Kline attended Central Missouri State University on a wrestling scholarship. After receiving degrees in political science and public relations, he attended the University of Kansas School of Law where he earned his law degree in 1987.

Phill Kline practiced law full time as a litigator with the Kansas City firm Blackwell Sanders until he was elected to represent Shawnee in the Kansas House of Representatives in 1992.

During his eight years in the House, Phill Kline was recognized as a leader in
the fight for crime victims' rights, welfare reform, and more responsible government. He authored six new crime victims' rights laws, co-wrote Kansas ' welfare reform, and was recognized as “Legislator of the Year” by the state's developmentally disabled and mental health communities. Kline served as chairman of the House Taxation Committee for three years and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for one year.

As Kansas Attorney General, Phill Kline continued his efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our society: our children, seniors, and the developmentally and physically disabled.

As part of his commitment to protect Kansas children, Attorney General Kline assigned a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent to represent his office in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Crimes Task Force to focus on the growing problem of online sexual exploitation of Kansas children. He also joined representatives from thirteen southeast Kansas law enforcement, health care, and social services agencies to establish the Drug Endangered Children Program to address the multitude of problems that occur when children are exposed to dangerous conditions as a result of illicit drug use, sales, or manufacturing.

In January of 2007, Mr. Kline was sworn in as District Attorney for the 10th Judicial District of Kansas, in Johnson County , where he and his staff of over 100 people prosecute more than 8,000 criminal cases every year.

Phill Kline and his wife, Deborah, have a 13-year-old daughter, Hillary.