Served on the Iowa Supreme Court from January 1, 1892, until December 31, 1897. For one year he was Chief Justice.
Born at Syracuse, New York, November 5, 1846. He was graduated from the University of Michigan law school in 1868, He began the practice of law in Illinois but soon moved to Toledo, Iowa, in 1869. Justice Kinne was a law partner with H. J. Stiger at Toledo. In 1886 he was elected Judge of the District Court. After one term on the District Court he came to Des Moines as editor of a daily newspaper. He soon returned to Toledo, however, and was again elected District Judge, which position he held until elected to the Supreme Bench. After his retirement from the bench he practiced law in Des Moines until appointed a member of the first Iowa Board of Control, in which capacity he served two terms.
He frequently gave lectures on legal subjects at both the University of Iowa and the Iowa College of Law at Des Moines.
Justice Kinne died at Des Moines March 16, 1906.