photo by: Mackenzie Clark

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, which houses Douglas County District Court and a number of other criminal justice services at 111 E. 11th St., is pictured April 8, 2020.

Douglas County will soon have a new face greeting individuals appearing in District Court.

Douglas County District Court Chief Judge James McCabria recently announced that the court’s pro tem judge, James T. George, plans to retire at the end of the year. George has served as the pro tem division judge since 2008, he said.

The pro tem judge is often the first judge individuals see in the court. The judge presides over first appearances, criminal misdemeanors, traffic violation cases and small claims. Additionally, during first appearances, the judge often determines the initial dollar amount and pre-trial conditions of bond for individuals who are released from jail custody.

McCabria said George’s retirement, which is effective Jan. 1, came with “a mix of sadness and celebration.”

“(During) his tenure, he has established an exemplary record as a person of excellent judicial temperament, strong ethics, well-versed in the law and dedicated to helping this District fulfill its functions,” McCabria said in the announcement. “Beyond that, he is someone that is simply excellent to know and work with. We are sad to lose such an incredible and valued member of our local bench. We celebrate for Jim his decision to close this chapter and move to the next.”

photo by: Nick Krug/Lawrence Journal-World

Judge James T. George in 2011.

George declined the Journal-World’s request for comment on his retirement.

The court accepted applications for the position until Monday, McCabria said in the announcement.

Unlike the standard divisions in the district court, where the Kansas governor appoints a new judge to serve, the pro tem judgeship is a county-funded position and McCabria will hire a new judge to fill the position.

McCabria told the Journal-World he would make a selection with input from the other judges serving in the district court and he expected to announce a new judge to take over the position soon.