Judge Mark Simpson will be the next chief judge for Douglas County District Court, the Kansas Judicial Branch announced in a news release Wednesday.
Simpson will succeed current Chief Judge James McCabria following the expiration of McCabria’s term on Dec. 31. Simpson’s term will run from Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2027.
“I’m honored to serve as chief judge and pleased to continue working alongside the dedicated professionals at the Douglas County District Court,” Simpson said in the news release.
Each of Kansas’ 31 judicial districts has a chief judge who has general control over case assignments within the district, as well as general supervisory authority over the administrative and clerical functions of the court, in addition to their judicial responsibilities, according to the release.
“We appreciate Judge Simpson taking on the responsibilities of chief judge to provide leadership continuity for the 7th Judicial District,” Acting Chief Justice Eric Rosen said in the release. “We also thank Chief Judge McCabria for his leadership and great service to the courts during his years in that role.”
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Simpson earned his law degree from KU in 2008. He then joined the Douglas County district attorney’s office as a prosecutor. Gov. Laura Kelly selected him as a judge in 2019, and he now presides over the county’s Drug Court and handles Chapter 60 civil cases, criminal probation violations, and involuntary treatment for mental illness cases, according to the release.
McCabria said via email that when he was appointed to the role in 2020, he had little appreciation for all the responsibilities the position entailed. He was appointed after the retirement of then-Chief Judge Peggy Carr Kittel.
“In the almost six years since that time, it would not be possible to fully describe how much I have learned about all that is required for the court to fulfill its role in our community and our state. It has been a genuine honor and privilege,” he said. “As I contemplated whether to serve another two-year term, I realized that the time for transitioning to a new Chief Judge was now.”
He said he is pleased that the Supreme Court agreed, and he’s confident that Simpson will be an excellent ambassador and administrator for the Seventh Judicial District.
“Finally, I have to give credit to my outstanding colleagues and dedicated district court staff for all of the help, encouragement and education they have provided to me during my time as Chief Judge,” McCabria said.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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