Skinner, Joseph A.

Steve is an experienced trial attorney and has successfully tried complex cases before juries in state and federal court.  In addition to his trial practice, Steve has maintained an active appellate practice and has successfully argued cases before state appellate courts in Kansas and Missouri, the federal appellate courts and before the United States Supreme Court. Steve has tried cases to verdict in a wide variety of areas, including product liability, professional liability, commercial cases and consumer fraud as well as prosecuting criminal cases.  Steve has litigated cases before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and has significant experience in multi-district litigation.

Steve Six joined Stueve Siegel Hanson following his term as the 43rd Attorney General of Kansas.  As Attorney General, Steve successfully represented the State of Kansas in complex cases in various areas including healthcare, antitrust, environmental resources and consumer protection.  Steve successfully prosecuted capital and first-degree murder cases and was the first Attorney General in more than 35 years to personally prosecute these cases before juries.  Steve represented the State of Kansas in a multi-million dollar water dispute and argued the case before the United States Supreme Court.

Prior to becoming Attorney General, Steve served as district court judge in Kansas. Steve has been recognized as one of Kansas City Business Journal's "Best of the Bar" and been included in the Kansas City Super Lawyers edition.  Steve has been active in professional and bar organizations, serving on the Board of Governors of the Kansas Bar Association, the Bench-Bar Committee for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas and various other bar committees.  After graduating from the University of Kansas School of Law, Steve served as a law clerk to the Honorable Deanell R. Tacha on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Representative examples of current litigation -  

Personal Injury Litigation

Texting While Driving - Distracted Driving Cases

Wrongful Death Lawsuit - Missouri - $1.6 Million Policy Limits Settlement. Steve represented the family of a Missouri resident who was struck and killed while walking across the crosswalk at 31st and Main in Kansas City, Missouri.  Evidence obtained in the case showed that the driver was distracted and had her attention diverted from operating her vehicle because she was using her phone to text. Cell phone records showed that the driver received and sent a text shortly before the collision. Video evidence obtained from nearby KC ATA buses showed the driver accelerated through the crosswalk, never braking before striking the pedestrian.  The case was filed in Jackson County, Missouri.

Kansas Automobile Collision - Steve is currently representing the family of Kansas residents whose mother was killed and whose father was seriously injured in a collision on Highway 24/40 near Tonganoxie, Kansas. The 19-year old defendant driver failed to obey a yield sign, slamming into our client's truck, causing it to overturn.   Evidence indicates that distraction due to cell phone use contributed to cause the collision. 

Antitrust Litigation

In re Chocolate Confectionary Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1935 - Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. v. The Hersey Company, Mars, Inc., Nestle USA, Cadbury plc, et al., 12-CV-2209, District of Kansas.  Our firm represents Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. in an antitrust lawsuit filed in the District of Kansas against some of the country's largest chocolate producers alleging that they conspired to artificially inflate the price of chocolate.  The claims include violations of the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act, K.S.A. 50-101, et seq.

In re Processed Egg Products Antitrust Litigation, MDL Mo. 2002 - Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., et al. v. United Egg Producers, United Egg Association, et al, 10-cv-2171, Wyandotte Country District Court. Our firm represents opt-out plaintiff Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. in an antitrust lawsuit filed in Wyandotte County, Kansas against several large egg producing companies and shell egg trade associations.  The lawsuit alleges that defendants engaged in illegal price fixing in violation of the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act, K.S.A. 50-101, et seq.

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT PRACTICE
Kansas v. Colorado, No. 105 Orig., 129 S.  Ct. 1294, 173 L. Ed. 2d 245 (2009).  Steve successfully argued the case before the United States Supreme Court on December 1, 2008.  Kansas asserted that it was entitled to have its litigation costs recovered as a prevailing party under United States Supreme Court Rules, not the federal statute that limits reimbursement of costs.  The Supreme Court agreed and ruled that in Article III cases, the Supreme Court’s rules trump court rules passed by Congress.

Kansas v. Nebraska, No. 126, Orig. (2010).  Kansas sought to have the Supreme Court reopen this previously settled case and impose sanctions on the State of Nebraska for overuse of its share of water from the Republican River and enjoin Nebraska from further depletion of Kansas’ water rights.  Steve coordinated the legal team developing Kansas’ strategy to protect its environmental resources.

Snyder v. Phelps, 130 S. Ct. 1737, 176 L. Ed. 2d 211 (2010),  Steve assisted in drafting and editing an amicus brief representing 47 states and the District of Columbia in arguing that the First Amendment is not violated by state laws imposing an umbrella of protection over a military families’ funerals for a soldier killed in action.  

Subaru of America, Inc. v. Compton, 519 U.S. 1042, 117 S. Ct. 611, 136 L. Ed. 2d 536 (1996).  Steve assisted in drafting and editing the brief asserting that the standard for the admission of expert testimony was met in a successful jury trial and should not be overturned.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT CASES 
State of Kansas v. Pharma Manufacturers –AWP Litigation As Attorney General, Steve brought suit against over 30 large pharmaceutical companies for overcharging the state Medicaid program for medications.  The suit alleged the drug companies unlawfully inflated the drug cost charge to the state.  The Average Wholesale Price (AWP) exceeded the true price by more than 200% in some cases.  The suit sought actual damages, statutory penalties and injunctive relief.  The case to date has resulted in settlements of over thirty million dollars.

State, ex rel. Stephen N. Six, Attorney General v. Kansas Lottery, 286 Kan. 557, 186 P.3d 183 (2008).  Steve coordinated the legal team evaluating the new Kansas Expanded Lottery Act and assisted in drafting and editing the brief filed in a direct appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court seeking to test the constitutionality of the Expanded Lottery Act.

State ex rel. Stephen N. Six, Attorney General, and Pawnee County Cnty. Health Org., Inc. v. St. Joseph Mem’l Hosp., Case No. 09-CV-61 (2010).  After Central Kansas Medical Center decided to close St. Joseph Hospital in Larned, Kansas, CKMC refused to sell or transfer it assets or its Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status to Pawnee County Community Health Organization, a new organization set up to save the medical facility.  Steve worked with our team to develop a strategy seeking to file suit against CKMC and force it to transfer its property and CAH status to the new entity to prevent the waste or misuse of the charitable assets.  The case was successful in forcing CKMC to transfer these valuable assets.

Pronold v. Bridgestone Firestone, 01-CV-05088 (Johnson County District Court 2004).  Steve represented a young man injured in a roll-over accident caused by a tread separation on a Firestone tire.  Following trial, the jury awarded a verdict of 8.3 million, one of the largest verdicts in Johnson County, Kansas in many years. 

Bessey v. Genuine Auto Parts, Inc., CL 89895 (Polk County District Court, Des Moines, Iowa 2004).   Trucking accident case arising from an accident in dense fog at a railroad crossing.  The case was settled for a significant, confidential amount.

CRIMINIAL CASES
State of Kansas v. Israel Mireles, Case No. 07-CR-524 (2010).  Steve prosecuted Israel Mireles, for the brutal murder of a Butler County Community College student Emily Sander.  He obtained a conviction before a jury for capital murder and Mr. Mireles was sentenced to life in prison.

State of Kansas v. Wilson, Case No. 08-CR-30 (2009).  Steve prosecuted the defendant Kenneth Wilson in the Osborne County, Kansas District Court for the murder of Kansas farmer Scott Noel and, following a trial, the jury convicted him of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison.