Nola Tedesco Foulston
District Attorney, 18th Judicial District

State of Kansas, Sedgwick County

Nola Tedesco Foulston, a native of New York, completed her undergraduate studies at Fort Hays Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1972 and continues to serve as emeritus member of the Endowment Association of the Board of Trustees. She attended the University of Kansas Graduate School and completed her studies at Washburn University School of Law in 1976 where she received her Juris Doctorate degree.  She commenced her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the 18^th Judicial District in January of 1977, practiced with the law firm of Foulston, Siefkin, Powers and Eberhard from 1981-1986 and associated with the firm of Foulston and Foulston until her election as District Attorney in 1988. Mrs. Foulston is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association and American Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the State and Federal courts of Kansas and is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States

During her tenure as a prosecutor, Mrs. Foulston was instrumental in developing the Division of Sex Offenses and Crimes Against Children. She specialized in this area of prosecution as a trial attorney and proponent of legal rights of child victims and continues this special issue as a focus in her administration.

In 1994 Mrs. Foulston was lead trial counsel in the prosecution of the landmark case of State of Kansas v. Leroy Hendricks. This case focused on the right of the State of Kansas to institutionalize a convicted sexual predator under the newly enacted Kansas Sexual Predator Law that was then upheld as constitutional by the United States Supreme Court.

As an active District Attorney, Mrs. Foulston has participated as a member of many important law enforcement and community-based organizations including: Kansas County and District Attorneys Association, The Domestic Violence Coalition, The Forensic Science Center Advisory Board, Sedgwick County Truancy Advisory Board, Sedgwick County Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, Team Justice, and Wichita Children's Home Board of Trustees. In addition to her state-wide responsibilities with the Kansas County and District Attorney Association, she has also been appointed to gubernatorial task forces including the Kansas Judicial Council Criminal Law Advisory Committee and the Task Force on Railroad Service.

Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, Ms. Foulston actively participates in the local MS Association serving on their Advisory Board and in the capacity of Chairperson for their annual fund-raising events.

Nationally, Mrs. Foulston is active in law enforcement and prosecution advisory capacities. She has served with the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) DNA Legal Assistance Unit and was appointed as the Committee Chair and Editor for the recently published American Prosecutors Research Institute “PROSECUTOR DESKBOOK”.

In 1994, she was appointed to serve on the National District Attorneys' Association Board of Directors where she works to initiate nationwide prosecution policies while representing her home state of Kansas. In that capacity, Mrs. Foulston also served as a member of the member of the Executive Board of Directors.

Mrs. Foulston is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Jurisprudence Section,  a professional society organized in 1948 that is devoted to the improvement of the administration and achievement of justice through the application of science to the processes of law.

Mrs. Foulston has served as a member of the Board of Regents for the National College of District Attorneys; serves at the National Advocacy Center housed at the University of South Carolina School of Law at Columbia as a trainer in their programs for our nation's prosecutors; and as a member of the National College of District Attorneys Continuing Legal Education Programs offered nationwide for prosecutors and their administrative staffs. Mrs. Foulston serves as an Training Instructor in Prosecutorial Misconduct and Ethics for the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association and is also a frequent guest lecturer in the universities, public and private schools of her community and at other educational institutions and law enforcement training centers. She has authored prosecution articles for the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association, the National College and the National District Attorneys Association and has appeared as a prosecutor spokesperson on National Public Radio, Court TV, FOX Television, CNN, Dateline, 48 Hours, Catherine Crier, Greta Van Susteren and other major network broadcasts regarding the criminal justice system.

Nola Foulston finds it an honor to have served her community as their District Attorney since 1989. In addition to this recognition, she has also received awards and commendations from law enforcement, community, educational and professional organizations for her work, some of which include:

• 2001 Kansas Attorney General’s Crime Victim Service Award for Outstanding Prosecutor for Commitment to Crime Victims;

• Wichita Crime Commission 1994 Criminal Justice Professional of the Year;

• Daughters of the American Revolution Award for Professional Excellence

• Golden Key National Honor Society;

• Wichita Jaycees Outstanding Young Wichitan;

• Girl Scout Council Woman of Distinction;

• Wichita Bar Association Attorney of Achievement Award for Professional Excellence;

• Junior Achievement Award of Fort Hays State University

• Alumni Achievement Award of Fort Hays State University;

• 1997 Diabetes Association Honoree of the Year;

• Chair Person 2000 Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Walk for the Cure;

• Chair Person 2002 Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Walk for the Cure;

• 2003 Arthritis Foundation Honoree;

• 2003 Kansas Court & District Attorney Association Prosecutor of the Year;

• 2003 Independent Living Resource Center Award

• 2002-2003 Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation-Trial Advocacy Award;

• National District Attorney Association Home Run Hitter for Excellence in Prosecution: State v. Jonathan and Reginald Carr

• 2007 Kansas Bar Association Distinguished Government Service Award

• 2007 National Multiple Sclerosis Society Hope Award, the highest given by this society

As rewarding as she finds her profession in serving this community as District Attorney, Nola believes that her family is her most important responsibility. Nola is married to Wichita attorney Steve Foulston and together they have a son Andrew.

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