Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Jacy J. Hurst will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot in a nonpartisan retention vote for Position 13.
In a retention race, voters decide whether to keep a sitting judge on the bench. There is no opposing candidate. If voters reject the judge, the governor appoints a replacement from a list submitted by a nominating commission.
Candidate information
Name: Jacy J. Hurst
Office sought: Kansas Court of Appeals Judge, Position 13 (retention)
Party: Nonpartisan
Residence: Lawrence, Kansas, according to KU Law Magazine
Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, University of Kansas, 2002; juris doctor, University of Kansas, 2006, according to BallotReady
Current term: January 2023 through January 2027, according to the Kansas Courts website
Experience and public service
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly appointed Hurst to the Court of Appeals on Feb. 11, 2021, according to her Wikipedia biography. Hurst filled the vacancy left by Judge Melissa Standridge, who was elevated to the Kansas Supreme Court. The Kansas Senate confirmed Hurst on March 23, 2021.
She became the first woman of color to serve on the Kansas Court of Appeals, according to her Wikipedia biography.
Before joining the bench, Hurst worked as an attorney at Stinson Leonard Street LLP from 2007 to 2014, according to BallotReady. She then served as general counsel and chief compliance officer at Swope Health Services from 2014 to 2017. She was a partner at Kutak Rock from 2017 until her 2021 appointment.
Hurst has also served as an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law since 2020, according to BallotReady. She provided pro bono legal services to individuals in criminal and family law cases, according to her Wikipedia biography.
Her community involvement includes serving as a board member and later board chair of the Douglas County United Way. She was a member of the Kansas Board of Law Examiners in 2020, according to the Kansas Courts website.
Professional memberships listed on the Kansas Courts website include the Kansas Bar Association, Kansas Women Attorneys Association, National Association of Women Lawyers and Greater Kansas City Society of Health Care Attorneys.
On the issues
The research packet for this profile did not include issue responses or policy positions from Judge Hurst.
This profile was compiled from public records and reviewed candidate data. The Overland Park Chronicle did not interview the candidate for this article. Voters can find the retention question for Position 13 on their Nov. 3 ballot.
