Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered

03/28/2025

Our firm is blessed with multiple high-achievers, and today we proudly congratulate firm President Dan Monnat for being honored with the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Lifetime Achievement Award. Dan, who has been a member of KACDL since its inception in 1989 and served as president from 1992-1995, has taught numerous CLE seminars for the organization on such topics as illegal search and seizure, the frailties of narcotics drug detection dogs, and the defense of accusations of child s*x crimes.

Throughout his 36-year association with KACDL, Dan has served numerous times as a member of KADCL’s Strike Force – a pro-bono team of attorneys who defend fellow attorneys facing the threat of legal action for aggressively representing a client.

“I am exceedingly humbled by the generosity of this lifetime achievement award, and fortunate to work with distinguished peers in the criminal defense bar,” Dan said. “Criminal defense is often unpopular, bone-grinding work. I am grateful for each of my KACDL colleagues because I know we will always stand together, bound by our dedication to our clients, our respect for each other, and our passion for protecting the Constitution we hold dear.”

Practicing for nearly 50 years, Dan has built a national reputation for high-stakes criminal defense, white-collar criminal defense, appellate defense, and bet-the-company litigation. His cases have garnered major media attention for the defense and acquittal of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller; the defense of an innocent man wrongly accused of being the notorious BTK; and acquittals and exonerations of clients in shaken baby murder and other murder, s*x, and white-collar prosecutions.

For his achievements, Dan has been named five times to the Top 10 List of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers and has been included among the Top 100 Missouri & Kansas attorneys for nearly 20 years. He has also been named among the Best Lawyers in America for more than 35 years.

Photo: KACDL President-Elect Matt Leavitt, of Hulnick, Stang, Gering & Leavitt in Wichita, presents Dan Monnat with the KADCL Lifetime Achievement Award.

03/05/2025

Prosecutors have charged 25-year-old Michael Tejeda with first-degree murder in the commission of a felony in the death of his one-year-old daughter due to gunfire.

Criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat explains to KAKE News that the charge against the girl's father is different from a typical murder charge. "In a felony murder situation, the need to prove a specific mental state is supplanted by evidence that the accused was committing, attempting to commit, or fleeing from an inherently dangerous felony.”

Under state statute, 'aggravated endangering a child' is listed as one of the 'inherently dangerous felonies.' Tejeda is charged with two counts of aggravated child endangerment that resulted in the girl's death.

Monnat said that this statute is in place to hold someone accountable for a wrongful death.

"The person did intend to participate in an inherently dangerous felony, which itself breeds the possibility of death, and because the person has chosen to participate in that dangerous felony, it is thought to be just that that person bears responsibility for any death that occurs by the creation of an inherently dangerous situation," Monnat said.



Click on the link for the full story!

Prosecutors have charged the girl's father, 25-year-old Michael Tejeda, with first-degree murder in the commission of a felony.

02/19/2025

Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered has gone national! The NACDL has published Dan Monnat and Gina Wehby's article on "The Prosecutor's Toxic Objection" in this month's issue of The Champion Magazine:https://monnat.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/The-Prosecutors-Toxic-Objection-Defense-Counsel-Knows-Thats-Improper.pdf



Click on the link for the full article!

02/14/2025

Sedgwick County, Kansas District Attorney Marc Bennett is pushing for a law school or satellite law school in the county. When KSN TV asked defense attorney Dan Monnat about this enterprise, he said, “Amongst other things, it will furnish lawyers at law firms in Wichita with student law clerks who can help reduce the price of having to have all the work and research done by lawyers charging full fare.”



Click on the link for the full story!

The Sedgwick County District Attorney is pushing for a law school in the county.

01/29/2025

A Sedgwick County Sheriff's detective at the center of a Wichita Police Department investigation is accused of improperly closing cases in the Exploited and Missing Children and Internet Crimes Against Children units.

Dan Monnat tells KWCH 12 News that if child abuse cases were not thoroughly investigated and closed properly, evidence such as drug testing, DNA, or video footage could be lost, damaged or destroyed. “The two worst extremes from that are, one, real child predators or child abusers go uncharged and two, innocent people become wrongfully accused.”

Monnat said that while some of these cases happened more than five years ago, they can be reopened. “Kansas, in fact, has almost no statute of limitations on child s*x abuse or child abuse,” Monnat said. “And the ones that it has are so long that actually any of these cases that occurred during that time could be resurrected and reopened.”

Monnat added that finding those involved in the cases could be difficult for investigators. “The witnesses become harder and hard to find, and their memories become harder and harder to rely on.”

*xualabuse

Click on the link for the full story!

There is still a lot we don’t know about the investigation and why cases would have been improperly closed.

11/19/2024

How did we get here? In this November’s issue of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association Journal, Dan Monnat and Gina Wehby aim to show how pivotal Supreme Court of the United States rulings have shaped the Second Amendment right to bear arms from its inception to the era-defining decisions in Heller, Bruen, and Rahimi. This article boldly navigates the complex legal landscape, shining a light on, amongst other things, the Court’s application of historical analogues to modern bearable arms and how criminal defense attorneys must devise innovative defenses to adjust to the ever-evolving law.



https://monnat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Summary-and-Update-The-U.S.-Supreme-Court-Continues-to-Scope-Out-Second-Amendment-Protections.pdf

11/12/2024

Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers today announced the 2024 edition of its prestigious list, naming Dan Monnat among its Top 100 Super Lawyers, and naming Eli O'Brien among its Rising Stars. This is Dan's 19th year to be listed among Missouri & Kansas' Top Attorneys, and Eli's 4th consecutive year to be recognized as one the region's Rising Stars.

Practicing for nearly 50 years, Dan has built a national reputation for high-stakes criminal defense, white-collar criminal defense, appellate defense and bet-the-company litigation. Eli has been an associate with the firm since 2017, defending serious felony accusations and DUI/DWI cases statewide.

“Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers select their Top 100 and Rising Stars from among thousands of attorneys across every practice area,” said Dan. “Eli and I are tremendously honored to be included among these tremendously talented groups, and particularly proud to stand with those in criminal defense who work tirelessly to ensure the Constitutional rights of those accused.”

11/07/2024

Best Lawyers®, the oldest purely peer review research and accolades company in the legal profession, today announced it has awarded Monnat & Spurrier five “Best Law Firms 2025” metropolitan rankings in the sectors of:

• General Practice Criminal Defense
• White-Collar Criminal Defense
• Appellate Practice
• DUI/DWI Defense
• Bet-the-Company Litigation

Each year, Best Lawyers evaluates nearly 25,000 firms across America, ranking them in categories including experience, responsiveness and civility. Clients and attorneys in like practice areas are also surveyed, with this included in determining the rankings.

“We are sincerely gratified by the praise bestowed on our firm by clients and fellow members of the bar,” said Dan Monnat. “Protecting the constitutional rights of those accused is one of the greatest callings of the law and we are honored to do such work every single day.”

10/21/2024

Our founder, Dan Monnat, is a grad and we are always eager to hire more compassionate, skilled lawyers like him to join our firm. If you're interested in a stellar legal career, we urge you to apply to Creighton University School of Law at the link below and start your path. The legal scholarship and professional foundation you build here will carry you through an amazing career in this profession.

Reminder! Apply to Creighton Law by Nov 1 for an Early Decision! Get priority scholarship consideration & decision in 14 days. Join our supportive community & become a Creighton lawyer.

Apply now: https://www.creighton.edu/law/future-students/apply

10/02/2024

The 2024 edition of Lexology Index/ Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defense has named Dan Monnat one of the world’s leading business crime defense attorneys for both individuals and corporations. This year’s list honors fewer than 950 exceptional litigators from among 39 countries worldwide. Who’s Who focuses on an international list of lawyers with expertise in representing companies and individuals involved in white-collar criminal litigation.

Who’s Who interviews both clients and legal peers to select the world’s top trial lawyers in white-collar criminal defense. It also highlights select “Thought Leaders” in the field – including Dan – for their skill with cutting-edge matters and ability to innovate and inspire others in the legal field.

“Our goal is always to be victorious in the courtroom and protect the rights of our clients, and I’m honored that Who’s Who recognizes that passion,” Dan said. “Equally important, I’m pleased that our firm has earned a reputation for fostering innovation and inspiring others within the legal profession, not only inside the courtroom, but through our featured presentations at legal conferences around the country.”

09/17/2024

09/06/2024

We're Hiring!

Experienced Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer: Frequent Preparation and Trial of Felony Criminal Cases (Salary: $90,000 to $125,000)

Entry-Level Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer: Handle DUI, Misdemeanor, and Lower-Level Felony Trials (Salary: $50,000 to $80,000+)

Email your resume to Dan Monnat at [email protected]

08/24/2024

A federal judge in Kansas has tossed out a machine gun possession charge and questioned if bans on the weapons violate the Second Amendment. Our Dan Monnat tells KWCH TV that others charged with possession will try to use this ruling to their benefit. “I presume everybody accused of possessing machine guns will use this case as precedent to contend that the cases can’t be prosecuted.”

But Monnat says this case is not yet settled law.

“No, unless double jeopardy attaches, the government can appeal this case to the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals or ask for review in the United States Supreme Court,” Monnat said.
See the full story at the link.

A federal judge in Kansas has tossed out a machine gun possession charge and questioned if bans on the weapons violate the Second Amendment.

08/17/2024

Questions still linger after two Augusta teens are arrested in connection to the murder of 93-year-old Joanne Johnson. Will prosecutors attempt to try the suspects in this murder case as adults and, realistically, will they succeed? Dan Monnat tells KWCH TV that prosecutors will have to jump through a lot of hoops first.

It’s important to remember that juveniles are not adults. Only in extreme cases will a prosecutor ask a judge to treat a child as an adult, Monnat says. “In that circumstance, the prosecutor has to file a motion and the judge has to find by the greater weight of the evidence that the community will be better served by the child being treated as an adult.”

There are several key factors for a judge to consider when making that decision, including the seriousness of the crime and, “whether the offense is against a person or a piece of property, whether the offense is committed in an extremely aggressive, violent or premeditated way,” Monnat says.

“Not every case is the same. Not every murder case is the same,” Monnat says. “I don’t think there is any way we could generalize to say that yes, fair-minded, wise prosecutors always seek an adult prosecution where a juvenile is arrested or accused of murder.”

See the full story at the link.

What options does a prosecution have when suspects of a violent crime are just 14 years old and the crime happened when they were 13? Could they be tried as adults? Those are among the questions following two arrests this week in connection with the September 2023 death of 93-year-old Joanne Johnson...

08/15/2024

Congratulations to our own Dan Monnat, Stan Spurrier, and Eli O'Brien who have each been honored by Best Lawyers in America® 2025. This year's honor marks Dan's 37th consecutive appearance on the prestigious list.

Dan has practiced throughout Kansas and the United States for nearly 50 years, waging relentless defenses for clients facing high-stakes trials, grand juries, federal and state appellate courts, and regulatory/governmental investigations. First named to the Best Lawyers in America list in 1989, this year Dan was recognized for his work in Criminal Defense-General Practice; Criminal Defense-White Collar; Bet-the-Company Litigation; and Appellate Practice.

A prolific author and lecturer on criminal defense topics, Dan is a cm laude graduate of California State University, with a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. He is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College.

Stan Spurrier -- who co-founded the firm with Dan in 1985 -- was recognized by Best Lawyers in the areas of Appellate Practice; Criminal Defense: General Practice; and Criminal Defense: White-Collar.

Well-known for his keen legal scholarship, Stan earned his bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and his J.D., magna cm laude, from Washburn University School of Law.

Eli O’Brien is an associate attorney whose trial practice includes defense of serious felony accusations, as well as significant DUI / DWI cases. He was honored for his work in Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; and DUI / DWI Defense.

Before joining our firm in 2015, Eli was a trial attorney with the Sedgwick County Public Defender’s Office. He is a graduate of Washburn University School of Law and the National Criminal Defense College Trial Practice Institute at Roger Williams School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island.

06/07/2024

Chambers USA 2024 has ranked Dan Monnat, of Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, in the top tier of Kansas litigators for White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations, describing him as “a widely venerated litigator, respected in the market for his expert representation in trial and appellate white-collar criminal proceedings... and one of the best-known criminal defense lawyers in Wichita.”

Monnat & Spurrier congratulates Dan on his work in healthcare and financial investigations that has earned him a place on Chambers’ top-tier list for 14 consecutive years. His clients have included both individuals and companies involved in matters investigated by bodies such as the DOJ, the US Attorneys' Office, and Kansas AG.

“In the area of white-collar crime and government investigations, Chambers bestowed this top-tier ranking on only six attorneys across Kansas,” says Dan. “I’m honored to be considered among this prestigious group of colleagues.”

05/28/2024

Double down with The House Band at Wichita Riverfest and YaYa's Eurobistro!!