photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Catherine Theisen, pictured Friday with her family, is sworn in by Chief Judge James McCabria as the newest judge in Douglas County District Court on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.

Updated at 5:26 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, 2022:

Douglas County District Court on Friday added its newest judge — the second addition in just a month.

Catherine Theisen is one of two judges appointed this year by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly to fill vacant positions in the county. One position was created by the Kansas Legislature, and the other became vacant after the retirement of Judge Kay Huff in July.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Catherine Theisen, pictured Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, with her parents, is the newest judge in Douglas County District Court.

Friday’s ceremony was held at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St.

Prior to her appointment, Theisen was an attorney with the law firm Barber Emerson L.C., a member of the Douglas County Bench-Bar Committee and an alumna of the University of Kansas School of Law.

Terrence Campbell, one of Theisen’s colleagues at Barber Emerson, spoke at Friday’s ceremony and said that Theisen had always been driven to succeed. He shared a story he’d heard from Theisen’s childhood: that when Theisen was growing up in Talihina, Oklahoma, her mother would give her and her sister topics to debate to pass the time, including whether it would be a good idea to keep a bear in the backyard.

Chief Judge James McCabria presided over the ceremony and praised Theisen for her professionalism.

“Mrs. Theisen has appeared in front of me many times since I’ve been on the bench. She is always prepared; cited the law, which sounds obvious but not always happens; fully engaged in the case; and always, always, presents in a pleasant and professional manner,” McCabria said.

Theisen told the Journal-World her docket in her first years on the bench would include a variety of family law and other civil cases.

“I look forward to serving Douglas County fairly and impartially and applying the law,” Theisen said. “I’m really looking forward to this. I’m very honored to have been chosen to serve in this role.”

As the Journal-World previously reported, Carl A. Folsom III was sworn in on Dec. 2, filling the other open position.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Current and former judges attend the swearing-in of Catherine Theisen as the newest Douglas County District Court judge Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

A Douglas County District courtroom fills with people waiting for the swearing-in of the county’s newest judge, Catherine Theisen, on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.