The Hon. Robert W. Fairchild (Ret.) was a judge for the 7th Judicial District Court of Kansas in Douglas County. He was appointed to the bench in 1996. Fairchild retired on September 9, 2016.
During his judicial tenure, he served as Chief Judge of the 7th Judicial District.
Prior to his appointment, Fairchild worked in private practice in Lawrence since 1973. In addition to his practice, he spent ten years as the county counselor for Douglas County. Fairchild has also taught alternative dispute resolution and criminal law as an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas School of Law.
He received a B.A. from Texas Tech University. Fairchild then completed a J.D. at the Univeristy of Kansas School of Law in 1973.
He was a member of the Commission on Judicial Qualifications, the Kansas Board of Examiners of Court Reporters, and the Kansas Supreme Court’s Advisory Council on Dispute Resolution (chair) and Education Committee.
A native of Prairie Village, Kansas, he served in the United States Air Force Reserves. Following his retirement, Fairchild assumed the role of senior judge, allowing him to preside on an as-needed basis in district and appellate courts.