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March, 2011: Lawrence Municipal Court Judge Randy McGrath is retiring in March after thirteen years of service on the bench. Prior to his appointment in 1998, Randy engaged in the private practice of law in Lawrence. During his tenure on the bench, Randy sought to improve municipal court practice and procedure, as well as educating the public about what goes on in City Court. He's the author of "How To Avoid Common Mistakes In Municipal Court", and also participated in public discourse such as Chat with Municipal Court Judge Randy McGrath. As reported in the Lawrence Journal-World, Scott Miller, a staff attorney for the city’s legal department, has been appointed to serve as the next municipal court judge.
January 7, 2011: Judge Jean F. Shepherd officially retired today, presiding over an adoption as her last official duty as District Judge of Division Three of the District Court of Douglas County (Seventh Judicial District), Kansas. Judge Shepherd was appointed to the bench in 1984. Stepping in as the new Division Three District Judge will be Barbara Kay Huff who was appointed by Gov. Mark Parkinson on December 10, 2010 over co-nominees James MaCabria and Angela Wilson. Judge Huff will be officially sworn in on January 14.
December 9, 2010. The DCBA Winter Holiday Party was held at Maceli's Banquet Hall, 1031 New Hampshire Street. The festivities, with $35 admission, started at 6:00 p.m. and included dinner, beer and wine, with a cash bar for stronger beverages. Kermit Beal, who retired this year, was recognized by the bar for his many years of service to the legal profession and community.
Family Law Guidelines Committee: DCBA officers selected the following lawyers to serve on the Domestic Guidelines Committee: Andy Bolton, Chuck Briscoe, David Brown, Jane Eldredge, Sherri Loveland, Jody Meyer, and Margie Wakefield. Along with these lawyers, Judge Sally Pokorny (Chairperson), Judge Peggy Kittel, and Judge Jean Shepherd (ex officio) were appointed to the Committee by Administrative Order No. 10-21. The committee will start meeting after the first of the year to work on family law guidelines for Douglas County.
September 1, 2010: The Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance posted Judicial Performance Evaluations for judges and justices who are up for retention in the November 2, 2010 elections. Judges are rated on a scale of 0 to 4 in areas of judicial performance including legal ability, integrity, impartiality, communication skills, professionalism, temperament and administrative capacity. Judges must receive a score of 2.0 or higher for the Commission to recommend that they be retained. Reports on all justices and judges standing election for retention can be found here.
Seventh Judicial District judges received the following scores: Judge Robert W. Fairchild scored 3.60 from attorneys, 3.53 from non-attorneys, and 3.69 from appellate judges. Judge Peggy Carr Kittel scored 3.23 from attorneys, 3.39 from non-attorneys, and was not rated by enough appellate judges for that score to be reported. Judge Sally D. Pokorny scored 3.51 from attorneys, 3.29 from non-attorneys, and 3.67 from appellate judges. Based on their scores, the Commission recommended that all three judges be retained.
Judges Michael Malone and Paula Martin stood for retention in the November, 2008 elections.
April, 2010. Sadly, the Lawrence legal community lost two of its members the first week of April, 2010. Judge Jerry G. Elliott died on Monday, April 5 after a long battle with cancer. Arthur “Tripp” Anderson died on Tuesday, April 6 at his home. The loss of these men will be felt well beyond the local bar. Services for Jerry Elliott were held on April 9, 2010, at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka. A Mass of Christian Burial for Tripp Anderson was held on April 9, 2010 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary, with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. The Lawrence Journal-World published online obituaries for Judge Elliott and Tripp Anderson. The DCBA extends its condolences to the families and friends of Jerry and Tripp.
March 4, 2010. New officers were elected at the Douglas County Bar Association Annual Meeting: President-elect, Rick Hird; Vice-President-elect, Jon King; Treasurer-elect, Jody Meyer; and Secretary-elect, Cheryl Trenholm. The new officers take office April 1, 2010.
December 3, 2009.
The DCBA Winter Holiday Party was held in the Crystal Ballroom at The Eldridge, 701 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence. 
The party, with $35 admission, started at 6:00 p.m. and included dinner, beer and wine, with a cash bar for hard liquor. In addition to the usual festivities, Bill Pendleton was recognized by the bar for his many years of service to the profession and community. Bill began practicing law in 1957 after obtaining his Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Kansas, and retired December 31, 2008.
Law Day 2009 was celebrated on May 1, 2009 with the usual luncheon at Maceli's Banquet Hall. This year's theme was A Legacy of Liberty — Celebrating Lincoln's Bicentennial. The Liberty Bell Award was presented to Dan Affalter who recently retired from the Lawrence Police Department. Winners of the Second Annual Douglas County Legal Essay Contest, on the topic The Significance of Separation of Church and State in Our Government, were: First Place - Hannah Kapp-Klote, Lawrence Free State High School; Second Place - Nash Riggins, Lawrence Free State High School; and Third Place - Colin Busby, Baldwin High School. Read more on the Law Day page.
January 15, 2009. In a standing room only ceremony in the Division 2 courtroom, Sally Pokorny was sworn in as District Judge, filling the vacancy created by Jack Murphy's retirement. The Douglas County bench is now comprised by four women and three men, counting the Pro Tem division. Judge Pokorny will attend a three-day judges school in Topeka before presiding over cases. Full story and video available at the Lawrence Journal-World.
December 12, 2008. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has appointed Lawrence attorney Sally Davis Pokorny as the new Division 2 District Judge to replace Judge Jack Murphy who retires January 12, 2009. Read the Journal-World article.
November 14, 2008. The Douglas County Judicial Nominating Commission has whittled sixteen candidates to three nominees submitted to Governor Sebelius for the soon to be vacant position of Division Two District Judge. The three nominees are Lawrence attorneys Barbara Kay Huff and Sally Davis Pokorny, and Ass't. U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Warner. Read the Journal-World article.
November 14, 2008. Douglas County District Judge Robert Fairchild, Overland Park attorney Dan Biles and Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Tom Malone are the finalists for Kansas Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice Kay McFarland. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is expected to select an appointee within the next two months. Read the Journal-World article. UPDATE: Saying there "there wasn't a wrong decision to make", Governor Sebelius appointed Dan Biles on January 7, 2009.
October 23, 2008. Sixteen attorneys applied for the Division 2 position that will be vacant when Judge Jack Murphy retires January 12. The applicants are David J. Brown, Daniel A. Dunbar, James T. George, J.C. Gilroy, Chelsi Kay Hayden, Barbara Kay Huff, Kenneth P. Kula, Randall F. Larkin, Martin L. Miller, Sally Davis Pokorny, Timothy G. Riling, Ronald Schneider, Jeffrey S. Southard, Cheryl L. Trenholm, Suzanne Valdez, Kenneth M. Warner. The nominating commission will interview applicants on November 12 and select two or three nominees for submission to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius who will appoint the new judge. Read the Journal-World article.
October 17, 2008. Jim George, one of the candidates for the District Judge Division 2 position of retiring Judge Jack Murphy, was appointed as the new District Court Pro Tem Judge, filling the vacancy created when Peggy Kittel was appointed as District Judge to fill the vacancy created when the recently appointed Steven Six resigned after being appointed to fill the new Division 6 position. Read the Journal-World article.
October 4, 2008. Tenth Circuit United States Court of Appeals Judge Deanell Reece Tacha was presented the 26th annual Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award at the Dole Institute of Politics. The Devitt Award is administered by the American Judicature Society and funded by the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation. It honors federal judges whose careers are considered exemplary.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. praised Judge Tacha, calling her a shining example. Judge Tacha taught at Kansas University Law School and was vice chancellor for academic affairs prior to her appointment to the bench by President Reagan in 1985. Besides Justice Alioto, distinguished attendees included U.S. District Judges John W. Lungstrum and Sarah Evans Barker, and Judge Carolyn King, of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Read the Journal-World article.
October 1, 2008. District Judge Jack Murphy announced he will retire January 12, 2009. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Joan Finney in 1994 to fill the vacancy when Judge James W. Paddock retired. A nominating commission will will meet at 9 a.m. November 12 to interview applicants, and then select two or three for nomination to Governor Sibelius who will pick one as Murphy's successor. The nominating commission includes lawyers Edward Collister Jr., John Nitcher, and Janine Cox, and non-lawyers Robert Maynard, Charles Epp and Kurt Von Achen. Read the Journal-World article.
The Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance provides "report cards" concerning judges who are facing election for retention. Two Douglas County judges are on the Nov. 4, 2008 ballot. Report cards are available on Judges Michael Malone and Paula Martin. Read the Journal-World article.