Sedgwick County District Judge Harold Flaigle to retire January 9

TOPEKA—After more than 30 years serving as a municipal court and district court judge, Judge Harold Flaigle will retire when his current term ends January 9, 2017.

Flaigle has been a district judge in Sedgwick County District Court since 2000. He took over responsibility for the Sedgwick County Drug Court Program in 2015 and is proud of the program's success rate, which he directly attributes to hard-working probation officers and court staff.

"It has been my privilege to serve the people of Wichita and Sedgwick County for the past 33 years," Flaigle said. "In particular, I am grateful to the voters for expressing their confidence in me by electing me to four terms in the district court."

Flaigle is a graduate from the University of Kansas and Washburn University School of Law. Before he was a district judge, Flaigle served as a municipal court judge and as a small claims judge. He also served in the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office and had a private law practice.

Flaigle spent more than a decade on the Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board and eventually served as its chair. In 1995, he served as president of the Kansas Municipal Judges Association.

Flaigle served 30 years in the United States Army Reserve, the last eight of which were as a military judge. He retired in 2001 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Flaigle says he has few specific plans for the future, other than to enjoy time away from work, a change he anticipates will be an easy adjustment.