(KNZA)--Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss has announced the Supreme Court  has re-appointed Judge Jim Patton to a two-year term as chief judge of the 22nd Judicial District, effective January 1st, 2018.

Patton has served as district judge in the 22nd Judicial District since January 1995 and chief judge since 2001. He presides over cases in Brown, Doniphan, Nemaha, and Marshall counties.
 
"We are glad that Judge Patton agreed to serve another two years as chief judge, providing continuity in capable leadership in the 22nd Judicial District," said Nuss.
 
"I look forward to serving the residents of the 22nd Judicial District," Patton said. "By creating a positive working relationship with our elected representatives and our county commissioners to address budgetary and safety issues, we can achieve the ultimate goal of providing access to justice to all residents of the district and the state of Kansas.”
 
Patton is a native of Hiawatha and graduated from Hiawatha High School, Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law. He retired from the Kansas Army National Guard, where he served in the 2nd Battalion 130th Field Artillery and the Judge Advocate General Corps.
              
Each of Kansas' 31 judicial districts has a chief judge who, in addition to his or her judicial responsibilities, has general control over case assignments within the district, as well as general supervisory authority over the administrative and clerical functions of the court.