TOPEKA—District Judge Mark A. Ward will retire October 9 after serving 19 years in the 6th Judicial District, which is composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.

Ward has served as a district judge since 2007.

He graduated from Pittsburg State University and earned his law degree from Washburn University School of Law. Before becoming a judge, Ward was general counsel for the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, county attorney for Bourbon County, an adjunct professor at Pittsburg State, and in private practice.

Ward said he became interested in the law after being a member of his high school debate team. After law school he worked as an attorney for 26 years. He then applied to serve his community as a district judge in his hometown of Fort Scott, where he still serves today.

“I’ve found that serving as a judge is a rewarding career and encourage any eligible attorney to consider this honorable profession,” he said.

Chief Justice Lawton Nuss assigned Ward to sit with the Kansas Supreme Court to hear a case on the court’s September 2019 docket. He has also served on numerous committees and civic organizations.

Ward is an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott and said he plans to travel, golf, and enjoy life on the lake in his retirement.