Judge Thomas Malone is the new chief judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals.

The Kansas Supreme Court announced Tuesday that Malone will replace Chief Judge Richard Greene, who died on Oct. 7.

Malone has been acting chief judge since Greene became ill during the summer.

Malone served on the Court of Appeals since 2003. He practiced law in private practice in Wichita from 1979 through 1990, when he also taught business law courses at Newman University.

He was elected district judge in Sedgwick County in 1990, serving for 12 years before joining the Court of Appeals.

There are 13 members of the Court of Appeals. Applications are being taken to replace Greene. In addition, Judge Christel Marquardt retires in 2013.