photo by: Contributed

Elizabeth Hafoka will begin as Lawrence Municipal Court Judge on April 22, 2026.

The City of Lawrence on Thursday announced that the next Municipal Court judge will be prosecutor Elizabeth Hafoka.

After a national search, the city selected Hafoka, who has more than 14 years of experience in the City of Lawrence Prosecutor’s Office, where she has been the supervising prosecutor since 2013.

Before working for the city, Hafoka worked in the Douglas County and Johnson County District Attorney’s Offices. She earned her law degree from the University of Kansas in 2007 and her Bachelor of Arts in history and social science from Bethel College in 2003.

“Serving the Lawrence community has been the focus of my career, and I am honored to step into the role of Municipal Court Judge,” Hafoka said in the city’s news release. “I am committed to ensuring every person who comes before the court is treated with fairness, dignity and respect. I look forward to supporting an efficient, accessible court and continuing to build trust within our community.”

Hafoka has served as a prosecuting attorney in more than 700 evidentiary hearings, including both bench and jury trials. Much of her work has involved defendants without legal representation, where she has made sure they understand their constitutional rights and are treated fairly throughout the criminal justice process, the release said.

Hafoka will begin as Municipal Court judge on April 22. She will replace Judge Chris Kopecky, who announced his retirement in January. Kopecky had served as Municipal Court judge since October 2022.