Meaghan E. Shultz Appointed to Municipal Court Administrative Judge
Published on October 12, 2022
Kansas City, KS –On September 29, 2022, Unified Government Commission appointed Judge Meaghan E. Shultz to a four-year term as Municipal Court Administrative Judge for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, effective October 1, 2022.
“I am grateful to the Mayor and Commissioners for giving me this opportunity to continue increasing procedural fairness and access to justice for those who come in contact with Municipal Court,” expressed Administrative Judge Shultz.
The Honorable Meaghan E. Shultz received her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law December 2003. She received her B.S. in Justice Systems and Psychology from Truman State University in August 2000. After graduating from law school, Judge Shultz engaged in the private practice of law before she began her career with the Unified Government as a Municipal Prosecutor in 2005.
Judge Shultz is a member of the Wyandotte County Bar Association. She participated in Leadership 2000, Class XXX. Judge Shultz also serves as a volunteer through her church and at various schools within the community.
Municipal Court Administrative Judge Appointed to Four-Year Term
The Unified Government charter requires there always be a sitting administrative judge. Every four years the Mayor can reappoint the seated judge or reopen a competitive hiring process. This year, Mayor Garner elected to post the position which triggered the formation of a judicial nominating committee by the Unified Government Commission to review applications and recommend candidates for public interviews.
Municipal Court judges are appointed by and report directly to the Commission. On September 29, the Commission interviewed three finalists. The charter requires six votes to approve a nomination, and, with a 5-4 vote, Mayor Garner cast the deciding vote in favor of Judge Meaghan E. Shultz who will serve through September 30, 2026.
Now Recruiting for Non-Administrative Municipal Court Judge
There are two full-time judges that are appointed by the Unified Government Commission. The administrative and non-administrative judges are granted authority under state law to pronounce sentences on those found guilty or to grant probation or parole. The Municipal Court is considered a court of limited jurisdiction, having responsibility for.
- Motor vehicle and parking tickets;
- Minor criminal-type offenses (for example, simple assault and bad checks);
- Municipal ordinance offenses (such as dog barking or building code violations); and,
- Fish and game violations.
With Judge Shultz assuming the role of administrative judge, the Commission will convene a new judicial nominating committee to fill the remaining two years of her term. The goal is to complete this process by mid-November 2022. For more information regarding the open Municipal Court Judge position, please visit www.wycokck.org/Careers.