TOPEKA—District Magistrate Judge Daniel Vokins will retire December 9 from the 10th Judicial District.
The 10th Judicial District is Johnson County.
Vokins was appointed district magistrate judge in 2005, after serving as a judge pro tem in municipal and district courts, as a traffic court judge, and as a municipal judge.
His first experience on the bench was in 1987, when he filled in for an Olathe Municipal Court judge.
“Filling in as a judge taught me to look at both sides and then render a decision based on the facts presented and the law,” Vokins said.
While filling in for judges, he gained valuable experience handling all types of cases and moving large dockets efficiently through the court system, a skill that proved valuable. He has handled up to 12,000 limited actions and 5,000 criminal and domestic cases a year as a magistrate judge.
Vokins said the most satisfying part of being a judge is “being able to quickly make decisions on the thousands of cases that came before me, so the parties can move on with their lives.”
During his time as a district magistrate judge, he helped make efiling and Chapter 61 limited action dockets as user-friendly as possible for the court and the attorneys and litigants who use them. He also analyzed bond statistics that contributed to bond reforms that help defendants, maintain control of the inmate population, and preserve public safety.
Vokins graduated from Johnson County Community College, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and Washburn University School of Law.
In retirement, Vokins looks forward to spending time with his wife and moving to Arizona to enjoy less humid summers and warmer winters.
District magistrate judges in the 10th Judicial District are appointed through a merit selection process. State statute requires a nominating commission to accept nominations, interview nominees, and appoint a replacement. After serving one year in office, the new magistrate judge must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the incumbent will serve a four-year term.