Douglas County District Judge Sally Pokorny has announced her plans to retire next month after nearly 50 years of legal service.
Pokorny worked as both a defense attorney and a prosecutor, in private practice and in public service, before Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed her as a judge and she took the bench in 2009, according to a Friday news release.
“I have been fortunate to spend my career in service to the law and to the people of Kansas,” Pokorny said in the release. “Serving as a district court judge has been the greatest honor of my professional life, and I am especially proud of the relationships built with colleagues, attorneys, and those I was privileged to mentor along the way.”
Pokorny was the first judge in Kansas to establish a behavioral health court. The specialized court emphasizes “accountability, treatment, and dignity for individuals with serious mental health challenges.”
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“The program reflected her belief that effective justice requires both structure and compassion, and it has served as a model for problem-solving courts across the state and for 10 years has positively impacted countless lives,” according to the release.
Pokorny graduated magna cum laude from Washburn University in 1975 and received her law degree with honors from Washburn in 1978, according to the release.
She began her career as an assistant district attorney in Shawnee County, and she continued as a criminal and family law attorney. She was the first woman elected as county attorney in Independence, Kansas and Montgomery County, according to the release. She then moved to Douglas County and was of counsel in the Law Offices of David J. Brown.
In addition to involvement with the Kansas Bar, its foundation and the Douglas County Hugh Means Inn of Court, Pokorny was a charter member of the Kansas Women Attorneys Association and co-founded the Lawrence Women Attorneys monthly networking group with Kathy Kirk, according to the release.
“Judge Pokorny’s career is a remarkable testament to integrity, intellect, and heart,” Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen said in the release. “As a colleague, I have long respected her thoughtful, well-reasoned approach to the law and her unwavering commitment to fairness. As a friend, I have appreciated her straightforward, candid manner and the sense of humor she brought to even the most challenging days throughout her career and especially on the bench.”
Pokorny’s retirement will be effective Friday, April 10. A public farewell ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. that day at the historic courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.
“Judge Pokorny would like to thank the people of Douglas County who voted to retain her four times, to the members of the Nominating Committee who sent her name to the Governor and to Governor Kathleen Sebelius who appointed her to the bench,” according to the release.
State statute lays out the process to determine who will fill the vacancy when a judge retires. According to the Kansas Judicial Branch, “State statute requires a nominating commission to accept nominations, interview nominees, and forward names of finalists to the governor, who appoints a replacement.”
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