Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association elects 2021–22 officers

TOPEKA—District Magistrate Judge Jenifer Ashford was re-elected president of the Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association. 

The organization, open to all state district magistrate court judges, elected officers to serve in the coming year during a virtual conference for judges in October. 

Ashford serves in Johnson County of the 10th Judicial District.   

“I am honored to be re-elected president of our association, and I am proud of the work our association and district magistrate judges accomplished this past year,” Ashford said. “The judicial branch met pandemic challenges head-on and made needed adjustments to continue to provide access to justice to the people of Kansas. I look forward to continuing our work, and I thank our members for their vote of confidence in me to represent them for another year.” 

Before becoming a judge in 2017, Ashford was a prosecutor for 20 years in Missouri and in Kansas. 

Ashford grew up on a farm near Summerfield in Marshall County and graduated from Marysville High School. She received a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University and a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. 

Ashford is a member of the American Judges Association, Kansas Bar Association, Johnson County Bar Association, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Kansas Women’s Attorney Association, Earl O’Conner Inn of Court, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. She also serves on the Supreme Court Task Force for Permanency Planning. 

Other officers are: 

• District Magistrate Judge Brendon Boone, re-elected first vice president. He serves in Gove County of the 23rd Judicial District.  

• District Magistrate Judge Damon Simmons, second vice president. He serves in Stevens County of the 26th Judicial District. 

• District Magistrate Judge Rustin Martin, re-elected third vice president. He serves in Comanche County of the 16th Judicial District. 

• District Magistrate Judge Shannon Schmidt, secretary. She serves in Smith County of the 17th Judicial District. 

• District Magistrate Judge Daniel Gilligan, re-elected treasurer. He serves in Reno County, which is the 27th Judicial District. 

Elected to the board of directors were: 

• District Magistrate Judge Regine Thompson, who serves in Republic County of the 12th Judicial District 

• District Magistrate Judge Paula Keller, who serves in Cheyenne County of the 15th Judicial District 

• District Magistrate Judge Rebecca Stewart, who serves in Chautauqua County of the 14th Judicial District 

• District Magistrate Judge Philip Moore was reelected to the board. He serves in Clark County of the 16th Judicial District