Senior judge reappointed to Kansas Guardianship Program board

TOPEKA—Chief Justice Lawton Nuss of the Kansas Supreme Court appointed Senior Judge Richard Walker to a two-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Guardianship Program.

Walker's term will run through June 30, 2021. He was appointed one year ago to complete another board member's unexpired term.

Walker has served as a senior judge for the Kansas Court of Appeals since 2015. He previously served 18 years as a district court judge in Harvey County of the 9th Judicial District and 13 years as chief judge of that district.

The Kansas Guardianship Program recruits volunteers willing to be appointed by a district court as guardians or conservators for adults who have been declared legally unable to manage their lives and financial affairs and who do not have family members available to do that. Guardians or conservators, who receive training and support from the Kansas Guardianship Program, advocate for and protect the rights of these individuals.

In 2018, there were 765 volunteers serving as guardians and conservators for 1,400 wards.

A seven-member board governs the statewide program, based in Manhattan. The governor appoints six of the board members, and the chief justice appoints the seventh. Other members are Stephen Atherton, Emporia; Rep. Barbara Ballard, Lawrence; Ruth Graham, Topeka; Dave Heinemann, Topeka; Paul Kallman, Scandia; and Wayne Radford, Topeka. Jean Krahn is the executive director.