Timothy P. McCarthy, a Johnson County District Court judge who has served since 2013, faces a retention vote on the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot.
McCarthy presides over Division 18, a criminal court in the 10th Judicial District, according to the Johnson County District Court. The retention question asks voters whether to keep McCarthy on the bench.
The race is nonpartisan.
The ballot will list the question as "Retain Timothy P. McCarthy?" for the District 10, Division 18 seat, according to BallotReady election data. McCarthy is certified for the ballot.
Candidate information
- Name: Timothy P. McCarthy
- Office sought: Kansas District Court Judge, District 10, Division 18
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Residence: Overland Park, Kansas
- Hometown: Great Bend, Kansas
- Born: 1957
- Family: Married, with one child
- Education: bachelor's degree in journalism, University of Kansas (1979); law degree, Washburn University (1982)
Experience and public service
McCarthy has held the Division 18 seat since 2013, according to BallotReady profile data. Before taking the bench, he was an owner and partner at the law firm Gilliland & Hayes, P.A., from 2006 to 2013. He earlier was a partner at the law firm Williamson & Cubbison from 1981 to 2006.
His judicial experience predates his appointment to the Division 18 bench. McCarthy served as a judge pro-tem at Edwardsville Municipal Court from 1983 to 2001 and as a judge pro-tem at District Court from 1988 to 2005, according to the Johnson County District Court website.
McCarthy also serves as a judge at the Johnson County Veterans Treatment Court, a specialized court within the Johnson County District Court system, according to the same website.
Beyond the courtroom, McCarthy has held leadership roles in the local legal community. He served as president of the Johnson County Bar Association and as president of the Earl O'Connor Inn of Court, a professional legal organization. He also served as a board of trustee member at the Johnson County Bar Foundation.
McCarthy has been active in the broader Overland Park community as well. In 2012, he was a member of Leadership Overland Park, according to the Johnson County District Court website.
This profile was compiled from publicly available candidate information reviewed by Overland Park Chronicle editors. No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this race. Voters can contact the Johnson County Election Office for full ballot information.
