Jean Shepherd has been a Douglas County District Court judge since 1984. Voters will decide whether to retain her when they cast ballots Nov. 7.

Shepherd presides over cases involving juvenile offenders and children in foster care. She has been a speaker and writer on a number of issues concerning child welfare. She also has served on a number of state and county juvenile task forces and advisory committees.

Shepherd was an English teacher during the late 1960s and early 1970s in the Kansas City, Kan., school district. She earned her law degree from Kansas University in 1977.

Shepherd was an assistant Douglas County district attorney from 1977 to 1981. She had a private law practice with Barber, Emerson, Springer & Zinn until 1984, when she became a judge.

Several public service and association awards have been earned by Shepherd. In 2004, she was the recipient of the Kansas University Distinguished Service Citation.