Neil B. Foth, a Johnson County District Court judge since 2009, is on the ballot Nov. 3 for a nonpartisan retention vote. Voters will decide whether to keep Foth on the bench in District 10, Division 16.
In a retention race, no challenger appears on the ballot; voters simply mark "yes" or "no" on whether the judge should continue serving.
Candidate information
- Name: Neil B. Foth
- Office: Kansas District Court Judge, District 10, Division 16
- Race: Retain Foth? (nonpartisan)
- Election: Kansas General Election, Nov. 3
- Residence: Lenexa, Kansas
- Birthplace: Topeka, Kansas
- Born: 1958
- Family: Two adult children
- Education: Bachelor's degree in English, University of Kansas (1981); juris doctor, University of Kansas (1984)
Experience and public service
Governor Kathleen Sebelius appointed Foth to the District Court on Jan. 6, 2009, according to the Johnson County District Court judge directory.
He has served continuously since then.
Before joining the bench, Foth worked as a public defender in the Third Judicial District from 1984 to 1987. He then practiced civil trial law at Couch & Pierce from 1987 to 1988. He ran a general trial practice at Foth & Orrick from 1988 to 2009, according to the same court directory.
In June 2019, Foth sat by appointment on the Kansas Court of Appeals, according to WIBW. That December, the Kansas Judicial Branch announced he would sit by appointment on the Kansas Supreme Court on Dec. 19, 2019.
As of an Aug. 31, 2026, docket reassignment, Foth is assigned to Criminal Court in Division 16, Courtroom 4A, according to the Johnson County Court administration page. He previously handled Family Court and Child in Need of Care cases.
Foth's father, J. Richard Foth, was one of the first judges appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals in 1977 and served as chief judge from 1978 until his death in 1985, according to WIBW. Neil Foth has said his father inspired him to pursue a legal career.
Foth belongs to several professional organizations, including the Johnson County Bar Association, the Johnson County Family Law Bench-Bar Committee, the Kansas Bar Association, the Kansas District Judges Association and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. He also presents on professional ethics at continuing legal education seminars, according to the court directory.
Endorsements
The Johnson County Bar Association has surveyed attorneys about Foth's performance in four evaluation cycles, according to the bar association's judicial evaluations page:
- Johnson County Bar Association — 92% retention recommendation (147 responses, 2016 survey)
- Johnson County Bar Association — 91% retention recommendation (115 responses, 2018 survey)
- Johnson County Bar Association — 91% retention recommendation (102 responses, 2020 survey)
- Johnson County Bar Association — 90% retention recommendation (102 responses, 2022 survey)
The Overland Park Chronicle's candidate profiles are compiled from public records, official court directories and producer-reviewed data. No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this profile.
