Sedgwick County judge to retire

TOPEKA — Longtime Sedgwick County District Judge Timothy Lahey will retire effective September 14.

Lahey was first elected district judge in November 1990 and has been re-elected six times since.

A native of Wichita, he is a graduate of Wichita State University and the University of Kansas School of Law.

Before becoming a judge, Lahey served as a law clerk to Judge Robert B. Morton in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, was both a prosecutor and public defender in Wichita Municipal Court, and had a private general law practice.

As a district judge, he has been asked to serve several times with Kansas Court of Appeals panels and was invited to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court in 2013. He has been a member of the Kansas Judicial Council's Pattern Instructions for Kansas Committee, which writes and updates jury instructions for courts to use.

“I am thankful to the citizens of Sedgwick County for allowing me to serve," Lahey said. "We are fortunate that our local and state bar associations work to ensure that Kansas lawyers maintain high standards of ethical integrity and professional responsibility. Our Wichita bar, in particular, is blessed with many lawyers who are as talented and knowledgeable as any in the country.”

Lahey said one issue facing the Kansas court system is compensation.

“We are losing many experienced and dedicated employees because they are underpaid according to all local and national pay standards. At some point in the not too distant future, if we don’t change course, the public will find a court system that will not be satisfactory. I am hopeful the Legislature will address this problem in the coming year,” he said.

He and his wife have five children and one grandchild.

Judges in the 18th Judicial District are elected by partisan ballot. State statute requires the governor to select a replacement to complete a vacated term of office. Lahey was last elected to a four-year term in 2014.