Today Governor Laura Kelly appointed Laura Johnson-McNish, the Marshall County Attorney and a resident of Marysville, Kan., to fill the term of retiring Magistrate Judge Roy Roper.
“Laura is not only a great attorney, but an experienced public servant,” Kelly said. “She brings an extensive understanding of the law and law enforcement, and she knows the 22nd Judicial District inside and out. I look forward to her contribution to the bench in Doniphan County and statewide.”
Johnson-McNish has spent the last eight years as the Marshall County Attorney, where she prosecutes criminal, traffic, and child-in-need-of-care cases. She was first appointed County Attorney in 2010 to fill an unexpired term and has since been elected to the office twice. Before working for Marshall County, Johnson-McNish was a deputy director of the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Division of Property Valuation. After growing up in Doniphan County, she graduated from Washburn University in 1983 and earned her juris doctor from Washburn University School of Law in 1991. Johnson-McNish also holds an active CPA Certificate.
“I’m honored that Governor Kelly has chosen me for this position,” Johnson-McNish said. “I have deep roots in Doniphan County and am excited to be back full time. As a magistrate judge I will work every day to make sure that each hearing is fair and that people in my courtroom understand the process and have confidence in the result.”
Magistrate judges in Doniphan County are elected and serve four-year terms. When a judge retires in the middle of a term, the governor appoints a new judge to finish out the term. The position to which Johnson-McNish is being appointed will be on the ballot in 2020.