I have been a Distinct Court Judge for 13 years. I have handled some of the most significant cases in Wyandotte County, some perhaps in the state of Kansas. I believe my courtroom presence inspires trust and respect where all litigants feel empowered to tell their stories including litigants with and without counsel.

I had the pleasure of working in juvenile court for a number of years. I was instrumental in establishing the first specialty court in Wyandotte County (Juvenile Drug Court). It has always been my judicial philosophy that rehabilitation is much more productive of long term success than punishment. Youthful offenders, if their circumstances are appropriate, should be given the opportunity to avoid having a criminal conviction.

Almost all people have some inherent biases. The key is being personally aware of those biases to actively avoid allowing them to influence decision making. In practice, that means treating everyone who comes before the court with dignity and respect, and ensuring all parties are heard regardless of background. I also support ongoing judicial education on implicit bias.

Having been involved in our district's mental health specialty court, I have seen how essential treatment is to achieving good outcomes. I consider treatment as a tool available to the court, which we can use to address ongoing issues rather than just the immediate case. However, one of our system's greatest failings is that mental health treatment often stops once a case is ostensibly closed. It is unrealistic to think that mental illness is resolved when the court involvement is concluded.

I have practiced in numerous courts throughout the State of Kansas and Missouri. I have practiced in Municipal Court and have experience handling traffic, and domestic cases. I have practiced in District and Federal Court. This gives me an idea on how to improve court efficiency based on what I have seen done in other areas. It has made me very versatile. I know what needs to be done to ensure that the court runs smoothly and orderly and has a concise record. I have Mediation Training in Civil and Domestic cases, and Guardian Ad Litem training. I have experience in rent court, as well as family court. I handle each case with professionalism. I would feel comfortable in any court that the Chief Judge assigns me to.

There needs to be resources offered to get juveniles back on track if they are committing crimes. We have a number of non profit organizations that work with youth who are in the system and I would make sure that they are linked to those programs like Low Riders 2 Success and H180. The families will also benefit from resources in the home. First time offenders would also be offered resources on a case by case basis just like juveniles depending on the needs i.e. therapy, substance abuse treatment, counseling and anger management, housing resources, job placement resources. The most important thing is to identify why they offended in the first place, and then actually offer services that can help them get back on track. Use Youth Court.

There is no room for racial bias or discrimination. As attorneys we are trained to identify any preconceived biases we may have and put them to the side in order to do the work that is necessary to ensure everyone has fair treatment. If I see that there are issues with attorneys or parties concerning racial bias or discrimination, I would address it head on and make sure that everyone knows that there is no room in my courtroom for unfair treatment when it comes to protected issues. If that meant having to appoint a different attorney to represent parties, then that is what would need to happen. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and professionalism whether they are attorneys, parties on a case, or court and community workers.

I have lots of experience working with cases dealing with mental health. My current job, I deal with therapists, Psychologists, and medical personnel, as well as Respondents that are currently being treated for mental abnormalities and personality disorders. Everyone needs to know that their concerns are first being heard, and addressed. I would treat everyone with patience, kindness, and professionalism. I would do my best to ensure that resources were provided to the parties depending on their needs. Victims of crime need to know that they have organizations they can reach out to in order to tackle what they have been through as well. Each case would be dealt with in a fair and impartial way and within the parameters of the law.