Sedgwick County Judgeships
2008-10-01 16:49:00
District Court Judge - Division 1
Now that the dust has settled from the primary election some clear choices are before us for the general election coming up November 4th. Division I is an open seat as a result of the retirement of The Honorable Karl Friedel. Phil has been a resident of Sedgwick County since he was 4 years old. Phil and his wife of 25 years, Suyapa, have 4 children and live in Haysville in a home just 2 miles from where Phil grew up. Phil was admitted to the bar in 1983. He has been a sole practitioner for nearly 25 years. While Phil has practiced in all divisions of Sedgwick County District Court, his law practice is concentrated on criminal and traffic matters. Phil has lectured at Continuing Legal Education programs for the Wichita Bar Association, the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Kansas Bar Association.
Senator Phil Journey has served the people of Kansas for the last 5 years in the Kansas Senate. I would like to remind you that, while serving in the senate, Phil was appointed chair of the only quasi-judicial legislative committee, Special Claims Against the State. He also has served on Judiciary, Juvenile Justice and Corrections Oversight, Public Health and Welfare, Health Care Strategies, Transportation and Natural Resources Committees. An effective legislator, Phil has drafted dozens of bills that have been enacted into law including the Animal Cruelty Act. His legislation has promoted significant improvements in criminal justice, juvenile justice, probate and other areas that have improved our courts and the legal system in Kansas. Legislation drafted by Phil Journey is now held up by the United States Justice Department as model legislation for other states to adopt in the management of violent sex offenders after release from prison.
Other legislation written by Senator Phil Journey increased criminal penalties for individuals who grind the serial numbers off firearms, enhanced the penalty for criminals defrauding others by writing bad checks, mandated the reporting by our Courts to the FBI individuals who are found to be a danger to others so they may never buy a firearm anywhere in the USA. He also wrote legislation that begins the process of reviewing the implementation of new Drug Courts statewide to give courts more tools to break the cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and the criminality associated with it. He also helped write legislation creating the first drug treatment prisons for repeat offenders and created the framework for our Department of Corrections to deal with parolees in a new way that has reduced recidivism crime rates by over 40% in less than 2 years!
Don’t just listen to me, but read what others are saying about Senator Phil Journey and his opponent. The Wichita Eagle’s Editorial Board wrote, “His high profile as a state senator and gun-rights crusader make Phillip B. Journey the favorite in the GOP race. But other qualities likely would make him a capable judge, including his reputation for being collegial and pragmatic, and for zealously advocating for his clients during his nearly 25 years as a sole practitioner concentrated in criminal and traffic law. In just five years in the Kansas Senate, Journey had a significant impact as a lawmaker, especially on criminal penalties and dealing with sex offenders and substance abusers. Now he looks forward to being the one ‘that actually helps people fix their lives,’ he said.” The reporter David Klepper of the Kansas City Star described Phil during floor debate on one of the hottest issues of the last legislative session as “the voice of reason”. The editor of the Topeka Capital Journal, Rick Anderson, wrote about Phil, “He worked hard, was conscientious and became a go-to guy for reporters... Some lawmakers develop a crust when they get a taste of public backlash. But if Journey became embittered, he did a great job of hiding it. He worked with a smile...” Judges need to have that same attitude about following what they know to be right not what is popular. Even though these writers may not have agreed with every position taken by Kansas Senator Phil Journey he earned their respect because of his honesty, his demeanor and his courage to do what he believed needed to be done.
I believe I should remind you what the Wichita Eagle’s editorial board wrote about Phil’s opponent because this choice is so clear. They wrote, “Voters rejected (Phil’s Opponent) in 2000 after eight years on the district bench, amid questions about her judicial temperament and fairness and her role, as a juvenile court judge, in the county’s soaring numbers of foster care cases. Those concerns linger, as reflected in the survey of attorneys In the Sunday Eagle.”
During his 5 years in the Kansas Senate Senator Journey never missed a vote. Phil worked hard for all Kansans. He will bring that same strong work ethic to our court system. If you wish to contact Phil, his office phone number is 316-269-0602.
