Supreme Court appoints two to Judges Assistance Committee

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court reappointed District Magistrate Judge Marty Clark and District Judge Mark Ward to the Judges Assistance Committee.

They will serve four-year terms that began July 1 and end June 30, 2024.

Clark serves in Russell County in the 20th Judicial District. Ward serves in the 6th Judicial District, composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.

The Judges Assistance Committee provides help to any Kansas judge in need due to mental or physical disability, or addiction. It seeks to:

• identify judges who are impaired;

• arrange intervention;

• recommend avenues of treatment;

• provide a program of peer support;

• advocate for judges who are ill and help them recognize their impairment, obtain treatment, and return to their job; and

• educate the public and attorneys about the nature of impairments and encourage early referrals and self-referrals.

Contact with judges is confidential, unless the matter is referred to the Commission on Judicial Conduct because the judge has failed or refused to address issues of concern.

Other members of the Judges Assistance Committee are:

• Ben Burgess, a retired district judge from the 18th Judicial District, which is Sedgwick County;

• District Magistrate Judge Richard Flax, who serves in Trego County in the 23rd Judicial District;

• District Judge Michael Hoelscher, who serves in the 18th Judicial District;

• District Judge Sally Pokorny, who serves in the 7th Judicial District, which is Douglas County; and

• District Magistrate Judge Dale Snyder, who serves in Rush County in the 24th Judicial District.