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Sebelius names Ward 6th District Judge
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius selected Fort Scott native and long-time attorney Mark A. Ward, Monday, as the next Sixth Judicial District judge.
Ward will fill the vacancy left by Judge Gerald W. Hart, who retired Oct. 31 after serving 21 years on the bench.
The Sixth Judicial District Nominating Commission selected Ward along with Bourbon County Attorney Terri Johnson and Magistrate Judge Pro Tem Harry Warren as final candidates for the job. Sebelius interviewed each of the three last week.
"It's going to be a new challenge and I'm looking forward to it," Ward said in an interview at his law office on Monday, several hours after Sebelius called him about his new job. "I want to make sure that I have the respect for the attorneys and the parties that are before me, no matter what the issues are in front of me. Fundamental fairness has always been the most important thing to me during my time as an attorney."
Ward said in 25 years of practicing law, he has "done everything from A to Z," and he'll be able to take to the bench his experience and knowledge of the law.
"I won't be hearing an issue that I don't know anything about, hopefully," Ward said. "When I have to do my own research, I already know what the law is. That's a big benefit from my practice of handling everything. There won't be any surprises -- let's put it that way."
Sebelius expressed the same point, saying in a written statement that Ward's "breadth of experience has prepared him to handle the array of cases district court judges hear."
Born and raised in Bourbon County, like Hart, Ward realizes there will be difficult decisions when the time comes that he has to sentence someone who he knows. Ware said he has to "apply the facts to the law, and that's part of being a judge,"
One of the responses Ward gave Sebelius during their interview was to establish mandatory parenting classes in the Sixth Judicial District to tide the growing problems affecting children with divorced parents.
Crawford County has a program that issues a court order to parents who are filing for divorce. The judge orders the parents go to parenting classes. The classes achieve greater cooperation between parents when hashing out issues like custody and visitation rights, he said.
"They come out of that counseling with a better understanding of what is in the best interest of the children. We don't have that in our district."
Ward said he'll discuss the issue with Sixth Judicial District Judge Richard Smith about possibly establishing the program.
A swearing in ceremony has not yet been set. Ward still has clients whose cases are pending, and he wants to ensure that they find new counsel before assuming the bench. He said that could take about a month.
Ward graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1974 and Pittsburg State University four years later. He went on to Washburn University, earning his juris doctorate in 1981.
In addition to 25 years of running his law firm, Ward served as general counsel to the Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office in 1981 and served as both Assistant Bourbon County Attorney and Bourbon County Attorney in the mid 1980s. He currently is the city attorney for Bronson.
The 50-year-old Fort Scott resident said he had "tremendous support" from the fellow lawyers, officials and friends who contacted Sebelius, asking that he be nominated for the position. Last week, the governor sought comments from the public about the candidates.
Donna K. Wilson, Ward's administrative assistant for nearly 20 years, said the governor's decision on Monday was "bitter-sweet." She's happy that he was chosen, but sad that the law firm of which she has been a part of will soon be closed.
"I know Mark has been an effective and diligent attorney and over the numerous years of my service have observed Mr. Ward handle each case with seriousness and sincerity," Wilson wrote in a letter to Sebelius.