Appellate Practice Bet-the-Company Litigation Criminal Defense: General Practice Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Daniel E. "Dan" Monnat
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1989 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Whether by obtaining an acquittal of his white-collar client at the conclusion of the prosecutor's opening statement, or proving that the drug dog's sensitive nose has been kicked by a horse, during the past 45 years, Dan Monnat has been recognized as a creative trial and appellate criminal defense lawyer. He co-founded Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, a criminal defense trial and appellate firm in Wichita, Kansas, in 1985.
A graduate of the Creighton University School of Law and Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College, Mr. Monnat is a two-term past President of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He served eight years on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the Litigation Counsel of America, the American Bar Foundation and the Kansas Bar Foundation.
In 2007, then-Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed Mr. Monnat to the Kansas Sentencing Commission, acknowledging his lifelong career as a trial and appellate litigator and legal scholar. Mr. Monnat has been listed as one of the “Top 100" lawyers in the Missouri & Kansas edition of Super Lawyers for nearly 20 years and named to Super Lawyers' “Top 10” list in Missouri & Kansas from 2018 - 2022. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America® for 37 consecutive years.
Mr. Monnat is frequently published and lectures throughout the United States on a variety of criminal defense topics. He is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the Federal and State Courts in Kansas.
Overview
- Creighton University, J.D., graduated 1976
- Kansas, Kansas Bar Association, 1976
- American Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Kansas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- American Board of Criminal Lawyers - Fellow
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- National Association of Criminal Defense Laywers - Past Board Member
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- Kansas Association of Trial Lawyers - Board of Governors, Board of Editors, and Executive Committee Criminal Law Chair
- Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Past President
- Kansas Sentencing Commission - Past Member
- District Courts of Kansas
- Kansas, Kansas Bar Association, 1976
- American Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Kansas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- American Board of Criminal Lawyers - Fellow
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- National Association of Criminal Defense Laywers - Past Board Member
- American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- Kansas Association of Trial Lawyers - Board of Governors, Board of Editors, and Executive Committee Criminal Law Chair
- Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Past President
- Kansas Sentencing Commission - Past Member
- Creighton University, J.D., graduated 1976
- District Courts of Kansas
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Criminal Defense: General Practice, Wichita (2014)
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Wichita (2012)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Special Focus:
- Appellate
- Civil and Criminal
- Criminal Defense
- DNA
- Drug Offenses
- Federal
- Fraud
- Government Investigations
- Juvenile Criminal Defense
- Litigation
- Sex Abuse
- State
- Violent and Nonviolent Crimes
Awards:
- Top 10 of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers - 2018 - 2022
- Top 100 of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers 2005 - 2014, 2016 - 2024
Best Lawyers in America 1989 - present
- Best Lawyers Wichita Lawyer of the Year, Criminal Defense: General Practice, 2014
- Best Lawyers Wichita Lawyer of the Year, Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2012
- Chambers USA Ranked Lawyer in Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations - 2011 - 2024
- Who's Who Legal: Government Investigations, 2017-present
- America's Top 100 Attorneys Lifetime Achievement, 2017
- National Directory of Criminal Defense Lawyers Editions 1 - 3
- Martindale-Hubble AV Rating
- Fellow - Litigation Counsel of America
- Fellow - Kansas Bar Foundation
- Fellow - International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow - American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow - American Board of Criminal Lawyers
- American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- Who's Who Legal: Business Crime Defense, 2014-present
- Panelist - Merit Committee to select Magistrate for United States District Court for the District of Kansas
News & Media
Insights
Summary and Update: The U.S. Supreme Court Continues to Scope Out Second Amendment Protections
How did we get here? In this November’s issue of the KTLA Journal, Dan Monnat and Gina Wehby aim to show how pivotal U.S. Supreme Court rulings have shaped the Second Amendment right to bear arms from its inception to the era-defining decisions in Heller, Bruen, and Rahimi.
Daniel E.
Monnat
The Prosecutor's Toxic Objection: "Defense Counsel Knows That's Improper!"
“Objection! Defense counsel knows that’s improper!” In this November’s issue of the Journal of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, Dan Monnat and Gina Wehby expose how this objection from a prosecutor threatens the accused’s right to a fair criminal jury trial and the foundations of the defense attorney’s role in the criminal justice system.
Daniel E.
Monnat
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- State of Kansas v. Cunningham, No. 13 CR 29 (Ford County, Kan. Dist. Ct. Aug. 24, 2015)
Jury verdict of "not guilty" on all charges of first-degree murder and child abuse after two-week trial involving extensive medical and biomechanical testimony where client accused of intentionally cruelly beating or shaking nearly four-year-old child to death.
- State of Kansas v. Akins, 315 P.3d 868 (Kan. 2014).
Kansas Supreme Court's complete reversal of former Chief of Police's 15 child-sex convictions and consecutive life sentences on grounds that the prosecutor committed intentional, prejudicial misconduct during trial.
- State of Kansas v. Dr. George Tiller, Sedgwick Co. Ks Case No. 07 CR 2112
On March 27, 2009, it took the jury only 25 minutes to deliver a verdict of “not guilty” on all 19 counts of performing illegal abortions in politically charged, high profile trial of internationally renowned abortion provider, Dr. George Tiller. In this case, Dr. Tiller faced a total sentence of 19 years in prison and the possible consequent loss of his medical license. the jury verdict reaffirmed that ordinary citizens will support a women''s right to choose regardless of the inflammatory, politically motivated charges brought here. On May 31, 2009, Dr. Tiller was murdered inside church by an extremist who had attended the trial.
- State of Kansas v. Puetz, No. 11 CR 3188 (Sedgwick County, Kan. Dist. Ct. 2013)
Jury verdicts of "not guilty" for high school football coach on charges of attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child and attempted criminal sodomy arising from undercover Internet sex sting. Jury deadlocked on remaining charge of electronic solicitation of a child, which State thereafter reduced to misdemeanor charge or patronizing an adult prostitute in exchange for defendant's "Alford" pleas (i.e. "innocent but pleading guilty to take advantage of plea offer"). What began as a multiple felony case with risk of over 10-year sentence, lifetime sex-offender registration, and lifetime post release supervision resolved with Class C (i.e. lowest) misdemeanor conviction, no registration, no probation, and no sentence.
- State of Kansas v. ___________, No. 107,918 (Kan. App. Oct. 11, 2013) (Unpublished).
Kansas Court of Appeals reversed client's two aggravated-indecent liberties convictions and consecutive life sentences on grounds that the trial court erred in excluding expert testimony about false confessions.
- State of Kansas v Floyd ("Floyd III"), No. 06 CR 17 (Stanton County, Kan., Dist. Court. Nov 24, 2008)
All charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder dismissed without prejudice after two hung juries.
- State of Kansas v. Floyd (“Floyd II”), Stanton Co. Ks. Case No. 06 CR 17
Each defendant faced a potential life sentence in this highly speculative, circumstantial, body-less homicde prosecution. On November 24, 2008, all charges of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder were dismissed without prejudice after second 3-week trial also ended in a hung jury on April 18, 2008. This trial and its 2007 predecessor were the subject of a 2009 CBS 48 Hours: Justice in the Heartland. https://www.cbs.com/primetime/48_hours/video/?pid=HE5yg5BdyduLFCQ0EYh7wPm5GlChwH_h
- State of Kansas v. Floyd (“Floyd I”), Stanton Co. Ks. Case No. 06 CR 17
Each defendant faced a potential life sentence in this highly speculative, circumstantial, body-less homicide prosecution. On July 30, 2007, hung jury on all charges of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder after a 3-week trial.
- Alpha Medical Clinic v. Anderson, 280 Kan. 903, 128 P.3d 364 (2006)
Successfully sought order from the Kansas Supreme Court protecting the privacy rights of women in medical files by requiring strict protective orders to be in place prior to requiring compliance with the Attorney General’s subpoenas for patient files. The Kansas Supreme Court''s strict limitations on a prosecutor''s acquisition of women''s private medical records was a great victory for a woman''s right to privacy in her medical records.
- State v. Bunyard, 281 Kan. 392 (2006)
Kansas Supreme Court''s complete reversal of client''s rape conviction and 20 year sentence because of prosecutor''s misconduct in defining the crime to the jury. Client released from penitentiary. This young college student was serving a 20-year prison sentence as a result of his alleged failure to cease intercourse quickly enough after the alleged victim''s withdrawal of her initial consent.
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