New Orleans' Best Criminal Lawyer

Thomas D. Arnhold
75 BS Political Science
Hutchinson, Kansas

Thomas D. Arnhold, Hutchinson, graduated from FHSU in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor from the Washburn University Law School in 1978. He is a partner and attorney in the Hutchinson firm of Oswalt, Arnhold, Oswald and Henry. He also spent 24 years as a judge advocate in the Kansas Army National Guard, retiring as a colonel in 2007. For the last seven years of his military service he was the staff judge advocate for the 35th Infantry Division. At his military retirement, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the highest award given to members of the military in peace time.

His legal career has encompassed a wide range, from indigent criminal clients in Kansas District Courts to cases before the Kansas Supreme Court. His military service included duty in Bosnia in 2003 and in New Orleans in 2005 during the response to hurricane Katrina.

In my 20 years of law practice and 12 years on the District Court bench, writes Judge James A. Patton, I have observed many excellent lawyers. Tom rates as one of the best. Most striking are his sense of fairness and honesty and his dedication to the rule of law and the profession of law.

In addition to his career as an attorney and military JAG officer, Arnhold has co-written two books on workers compensation, co-authored a book on real estate law, written another book, A Wingshooters Guide to Kansas, and published articles in The Army Lawyer and in The Territorial Magazine. In 2008, he began writing as a guest columnist for The Hutchinson News and also writes for Hutchinson Magazine.

While at FHSU, he was active in student government, the Political Science Club and intramural sports. In civic and professional life, Arnhold has been a youth soccer, basketball and baseball coach and has been active in many organizations, including the Hutchinson Public Library Board, on which he served as vice president, vice president of the Hutchinson Human Relations Board, Big Brothers, the Trinity Catholic High School Booster Club, Knights of Columbus, Downtown Development Board, the Arkansas River Coalition, and the FHSU Alumni Association. He has served as president of the Reno County Bar Association and is a member of the Kansas Bar Association, and the Kansas National Guard Association.

Besides the Legion of Merit, Arnholds 20 military decorations include the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He and his wife, Joleen, were also named the outstanding volunteers in 1999 by Trinity Catholic High School.

The Arnholds have two children, daughter Colleen M. Connealy and son Kevin T. Arnhold.

Duration : 0:6:54

[youtube OBXujklMYjE]