Sedgwick County District Judge Douglas Roth to retire June 30

TOPEKA—Judge Douglas R. Roth has announced he will retire on June 30, after serving 16 years on the bench in the 18th judicial district, which is composed of Sedgwick County.

Roth was elected to the district court in November 2000. He has served in the civil, family law and criminal departments, including two years as the judicial district’s drug court judge.

Prior to serving on the bench, Roth practiced civil and criminal law, including 11 years as the chief deputy district attorney in Wichita. During his career, he served on several community boards and legal committees, and he has participated in legal training for attorneys. He served on the Sedgwick County Community Corrections Board in the 1990s, including several years as its chair.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve 16 years as a member of the Kansas judicial branch," Roth said. "I will miss the people I have met and served, and the challenges I have faced. After 38 years as an attorney and then a judge, my retirement will be an adjustment. However, I am looking forward to spending the extra time with my wife and visiting my son in Colorado.”

In retirement, Judge Roth and his wife, Brenda, will increase their volunteer work with several of their favorite charities. They look forward to more golf, Colorado hiking, and travel to locations on their bucket list.

Roth was born in Hays, graduated from the University of Notre Dame and from Washburn University School of Law.