Dale Saffels Papers

Abstract: Papers of Dale Emerson Saffels. The majority of the collection consists of records from his time as a U. S. District Court Judge. This includes administrative files, memorandums and orders, and records from various civil and criminal trials for which he served as judge. Major topics include bank robberies, illegal drugs, tax fraud and evasion, labor relations, civil rights and discrimination, personal injury, product liability, breach of contract, etc. His records also include meeting and search committee records from when he was with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka as well as records from when he served with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). These documents include memoranda and correspondence, news articles and clippings, legislative documents such as the Senate journal, scheduling materials, expense vouchers and other financial records, etc. Also in the collection are some personal papers, including correspondence, thank you notes, and invitations, as well as materials related to his activities with the Lutheran Church and Missouri Synod and other organizations and charities with which he was involved.

Summary: Box/Folder List is available at the repository and online, http://www.kshs.org/research/collections/documents/personalpapers/findingaids/saffels_dale_papers_1977_2003.pdf

Biog. Sketch (Full):

Dale Emerson Saffels was born on 13 August 1921 in Moline, Elk County, Kansas. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1943, commanding the 1373rd Signal Company. He rose to the rank of major by the time he was discharged in 1946.

In 1947, after resuming his interrupted education, Saffels graduated from Emporia State Teachers College with degrees in history and business. In 1949 he earned his law degree from the Washburn University School of Law. Thereafter Saffels kept his practice at various times in Garden City, Wichita, and Topeka.

A Democrat, Saffels was elected Finney County Attorney in the early 1950s and then was in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1955 to 1963, being appointed by his fellow members Democratic Leader. In 1967, Governor Robert Docking appointed Saffels to the Kansas Corporation Commission, and from 1968 until the end of his time with the Commission in 1975 he was Chairman. Thereafter Saffels was appointed as Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka.

In 1979 President Jimmy Carter nominated and the U.S. Senate confirmed Saffels as a U.S. District Judge for the district of Kansas. In 1990 Saffels was raised to senior status as a federal judge.

Dale Saffels died 14 November 2002 and was buried in Moline.

Scope and content:

This collection is comprised of the personal papers of Judge Dale Emerson Saffels that were compiled from 1975 through his death in 2002. Many of the papers relate to his tenure as a U.S. District Court Judge in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Kansas. This collection consists of 49 boxes of material and has been organized into the following series: Administrative Files, Case Files, General Professional Papers, and Trials. These documents were acquired by the Kansas State Historical Society through donation from the U.S. District Court in Topeka, Kansas, in 2010.

The Administrative Files, Series I, comprises of a large number of records covering subjects including, but not limited to, 10th Circuit Court files, conference files, general research information, and current decisions of other courts. These files range in dates from 1975 through 2002, with a large number of the materials directly relating to Dale Saffels’ term as a 10th Circuit District Judge. These files have been listed alphabetically, with note made to their physical location in the collection, to best facilitate research.

The Case Files, Series II, is divided into four major components to outline the separate cases. The Hesston case files consist of four boxes addressing alleged patent violations relating to mechanic balers created by the Hesston Corporation and the Massey-Ferguson Company. There is a significant amount of evidentiary material and court documents relating to the case and dates to 1988-1990. The Miscellaneous sub-series is comprised of more minor hearing files, friendly suits, temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and miscellaneous civil case files. This sub-series is organized alphabetically. Out-of-District Files house materials from cases that Dale Saffels oversaw in the capacity of a visiting judge to other districts within the 10th Circuit as well as other circuits, dating to 1982-2001. The final sub-series, the Phelps Files, consists of evidentiary material and court documents relating most significantly to the disciplinary matters of Fred W. Phelps, Sr. The Phelps files largely date to 1975-1986.

Series III, General Professional Papers, is divided in the following sub-series: Correspondence, Memorandums and Orders, and Miscellaneous. Correspondence consists of one folder with material dating to 1979-1993. Memorandums and Orders are listed at the box level and are housed in 11 boxes, which are titled as to the alphabetical range of materials held within them. The Miscellaneous sub-series is comprised of six boxes and houses materials including, but not limited to, jury instruction specific to certain cases, 10th Circuit trip files, and files regarding Hopkinson v. Shillinger, a death penalty case from Wyoming. This sub-series dates to 1976-2002.

Series IV, Trials, is divided into three sub-series: Criminal Jury Trials, Civil Jury Trials, and Civil Court Trials. Criminal Jury Trials are organized alphabetically according to the last name of the defendant, as the United States is cited as plaintiff for all of these cases. These files are housed in four boxes and date to 1980-2002. Civil Jury Trials are organized alphabetically by the last name of the plaintiff. Housed in six boxes, these files date to 1980-2002. Civil Court Trials are housed in two boxes, alphabetized according to the last name of the plaintiff and date to 1980-2000. All of the Trial files are listed in an attached appendix that outlines the case name, number, date and cause of action, as well as their box location.

Finding Aid Bibliography: Garner, Jim. "Dale E. Saffels, U.S. District Judge, District of Kansas." http://www.10thcircuithistory.org/pdf_files/Saffels%20Bio.pdf (accessed 18 November 2009).

Action note: Box/Folder List prepared by Jennifer Kirmer, Ripley intern, 2010.