Born in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Kane received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1958 and a Juris Doctor from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver in 1960.

He was a visiting lecturer in law at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland in 1989.

[2] His disability was sleep apnea, brought about by work related stress.

[2] Despite being granted early senior status, he has continued to work a reduced, but substantial caseload to the present.

Kane was interviewed by his daughter as part of StoryCorps on NPR's Morning Edition on October 8, 2010.