Kansas Judicial Branch
TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court has reappointed 28 chief judges for terms that begin January 1, 2026, and end December 31, 2027.
Included are
15th Judicial District
Chief Judge Kevin Berens was reappointed in the 15th Judicial District, which is composed of Cheyenne, Logan, Sheridan, Sherman, Rawlins, Thomas, and Wallace counties. He has served as district judge and chief judge since 2017.
Berens graduated from Fort Hays State University and Washburn University School of Law. He previously served as county attorney in Thomas and Cheyenne counties and city attorney for Bird City. He also practiced law in Kansas and Colorado.
17th Judicial District
Chief Judge Paula Hofaker was reappointed in the 17th Judicial District, which is composed of Decatur, Graham, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, and Smith counties. She has served as a district judge since 2022 and chief judge since 2024.
Hofaker graduated from Washburn University School of Law. After law school, she had a private law practice in Logan.
20th Judicial District
Chief Judge Carey Hipp was reappointed in the 20th Judicial District, which is composed of Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, Russell, and Stafford counties. She has served as a district judge since 2019 and chief judge since 2024.
Hipp graduated from Fort Hays State University and Oklahoma City University School of Law. She was in private practice in Ellsworth before she became a district judge.
23rd Judicial District
Chief Judge Curtis Brown was reappointed in the 23rd Judicial District, which is composed of Ellis, Rooks, Trego, and Gove counties. He has served as district judge and chief judge since 2024.
Brown graduated from the University of Nebraska Kearney and the University of Tulsa College of Law. After law school, he worked for Kansas Legal Services in Hays. Before becoming a judge, Brown had a law practice and later served as attorney for Trego County and prosecutor for the city of WaKeeney.
24th Judicial District
Chief Judge Bruce Gatterman was reappointed in the 24th Judicial District, which is composed of Edwards, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee, and Rush counties. He has served as district judge and chief judge since 2003.
Gatterman graduated from Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. Before he became a judge, he served as a municipal judge for the City of Larned.
Chief judge role
Each of Kansas' 31 judicial districts has a chief judge who, in addition to their judicial responsibilities, has general control over case assignments within the district, as well as general supervisory authority over the administrative and clerical functions of the court.