Joan Lowdon named chief judge of 1st Judicial District

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court has appointed District Judge Joan Lowdon to serve as chief judge of the 1st Judicial District from January 1 through December 31, 2023. 

Lowdon fills the unexpired term of Chief Judge David King, who retired January 1. 

The 1st Judicial District is composed of Atchison and Leavenworth counties. 

“We appreciate that Judge Lowdon is willing to take on the additional responsibilities of chief judge and provide continuity in capable leadership in the 1st Judicial District,” said Marla Luckert, chief justice of the Supreme Court. “We look forward to working with her in this new capacity.” 

Lowdon has been a judge in the 1st Judicial District since 2020. 

“It is humbling to be selected chief judge,” Lowdon said. “We have benefited from the extraordinary leadership from Chief Judge David King the last 32 years. I am grateful to him for his service and for his support while I served as district judge. I look forward to working with the dedicated people who form our court system and to serving the people of Atchison and Leavenworth counties.”

Lowdon graduated from Kansas State University and the University of Kansas School of Law. Before she was appointed to the bench, she worked at the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office, first as an assistant county attorney and later as deputy county attorney.

Each of Kansas’ 31 judicial districts has a chief judge who, in addition to their judicial responsibilities, has general control over case assignments within the district, as well as general supervisory authority over the administrative and clerical functions of the court.