Party: Democrat
Age: 50
Profession: Trego County magistrate judge
1. What specific aspects of the magistrate judge position motivated you to run?
After more than two decades in public service, including 10 years as Trego County Sheriff, I have developed a deep appreciation for the importance of fairness, accountability, and treating people with respect. The magistrate judge position allows me to continue serving the community I care about and call home while taking on a different responsibility within the justice system.
What appealed to me most about this position was the opportunity to ensure that everyone who enters the courtroom is treated fairly, respectfully, without bias, and will have their chance to be heard. Having spent much of my career in law enforcement, I understand the importance of upholding the law but also recognize that every situation deserves careful consideration and that each case will be decided based on the evidence that is presented.
Since being appointed magistrate judge, I have found this role to be both rewarding and meaningful. I take this responsibility seriously and want to continue providing the people of Trego County with a fair, impartial and respectful courtroom.
2. What experience and skills would you bring to the position?
I bring more than two decades of public service experience, including serving as a patrolman and later as sergeant for the WaKeeney Police Department, Trego County sheriff for approximately 10 years, a year and a half as a deputy assigned to the courthouse in Ellis County and now the last six months as magistrate judge. Throughout my career, I have gained valuable experience in leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution and working with people from all walks of life.
My years in law enforcement taught me the importance of listening, gathering facts, remaining calm under pressure, making difficult decisions based on the information presented rather than personal opinions or emotions. As sheriff, I was responsible for leading a department, managing personnel and making decisions that directly impacted our community.
Since being appointed magistrate judge, I have gained firsthand experience in the courtroom, applying the law, managing cases and ensuring everyone is treated in a respectful manner. I also assist in Ellis County as part of my duties as magistrate judge, which has given me the opportunity to broaden my judicial experience. In August 2026 after four months of dedicated studying, I passed the magistrate judge certification examination administered by the Kansas Supreme Court.
I believe my combination of law enforcement, leadership and judicial experience has prepared me well to continue serving the people of Trego County with integrity, fairness and respect.
3. What qualities do you believe are most important in an effective judge?
I believe the most important qualities of an effective judge are impartiality, fairness, integrity and sound judgment. Everyone who enters a courtroom deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of who they are, their background or their standing in the community. Personal relationships, opinions, and emotions should never influence the decisions made from the bench.
A judge must also have a calm, level head, especially when faced with difficult or emotional situations. It is important to listen carefully, consider all the facts, apply the law fairly and have the confidence to make a decision, even when that decision may not be the most popular.
I believe a judge should be approachable and respectful, but also firm, decisive and consistent. Fairness does not mean everyone will agree with every decision. It means that each decision made will be based on the law and facts presented and not preferential treatment of the parties.
These are qualities I have valued throughout my career in public service and will continue to bring to the bench every day.
4. What is the most challenging ethical dilemma you have faced, and how did you handle it?
Throughout my law enforcement career, some of the most challenging ethical situations have involved people I personally knew or respected. I have had to arrest respected members of the community, oversee the incarceration of people I have known my whole life and assist the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in arresting a longtime colleague.
These situations are never easy, particularly in a small community where personal and professional relationships often overlap. However, I have always believed that personal relationships, someone’s position in the community or my own feelings cannot interfere with my responsibility to uphold the law.
In each of these situations, I focused on the facts, followed proper procedures, and carried out my responsibilities professionally and respectfully. I believe everyone deserves to be treated with the same fairness and dignity, regardless of who they are or who they know.
5. What community activities or organizations have you been involved with?
Community involvement has always been important to me. Throughout my law enforcement career, I worked to build positive relationships between law enforcement and the people we served, especially our youth.
I initiated having officers present at schools before and after classes and serving school lunches, allowing students to get to know us, build trust, and feel comfortable approaching us when they needed help.
As a police officer, I started a bike rodeo promoting bike safety, partnering with Safe Kids of Kansas to provide helmets and organizing bicycle giveaways. I continued this tradition as sheriff, incorporating it into the Buzzard Bash. I also established an annual Community Night Out, bringing residents and first responders together for food, games, and fellowship.
I secured a grant for an impaired-driving go-kart to educate young people about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. I also supported Touch-a-Truck at the county fair and maintained a deputy presence throughout the fair.
As an active Lions Club member, I volunteer at ball games taking tickets and participate in Angel Tree, holiday food baskets, Meal on Wheels,and Toys for Tots. Serving my community has always meant more to me than simply fulfilling my job duties.
6. Have you ever been arrested? If so, when, on what charges and what was the outcome?
I have never been arrested.
7. Have you ever been a victim of a crime? If so, how did the experience affect you, if at all?
There have been a few instances where I was the victim of crimes while carrying out my official duty. In these incidents I was fortunate enough to not be hospitalized or have any lasting effects. In a non-official capacity, the only crime I have been a victim of is having some change stolen from my vehicle. It made me realize that even in a small town, crime with victims can happen and even though it was a small amount of money it still had an impact and didn’t feel good.
8. How would you balance moving cases through the court efficiently with ensuring each person has a fair opportunity to be heard?
I believe an efficient court and fair court should go hand in hand. While much of the responsibility for moving cases forward falls on the attorneys, a judge plays an important role in keeping the process on track. I can encourage attorneys to move cases forward in a timely manner, limit unnecessary status hearings and avoid delays that serve no meaningful purpose.
At the same time, efficiency should never come at the expense of someone’s rights. I believe it is important to ensure that bond decisions are fair and based on circumstances of each case, that defense attorneys are appointed promptly when appropriate and that individuals understand their rights and what to expect as their case moves forward.
I also believe everyone deserves the opportunity to be heard and to have their case given the attention it deserves. My responsibility is to maintain an orderly, efficient courtroom while ensuring due process is respected.
9. Magistrate judges handle a range of cases. How would you prepare to make fair, well-informed decisions in areas where you have less direct experience?
I believe being an effective judge means recognizing that there is always more to learn. While my law enforcement background provided a strong foundation in criminal law, I understood early on that the responsibilities of a magistrate judge extend well beyond criminal cases.
While serving as courthouse deputy, I made it a point to attend hearings outside of a criminal basis, including child in need of care (CINC), probate, small claims, limited actions and protection from abuse and stalking cases. I did this specifically to broaden my knowledge and better understand those areas of law.
Since becoming a judge, I have attended judicial training, studied for the required certification exam, and continued learning from the experienced judges within our district. I am fortunate to have excellent mentors and a very supportive chief judge.
When faced with an unfamiliar legal issue, I take the time to research the applicable laws, review relevant legal authority and seek appropriate guidance when needed. Fairness requires preparation, willingness to learn and humility to recognize when additional research is necessary.