Judge Evaluations
Paula Martin
District Court

District: 7
County: Douglas

The Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Paula B. Martin BE RETAINED.

Judge Martin was appointed as District Judge in the 7th Judicial District in 1994. Judge Martin has a mixed docket consisting of misdemeanor and felony cases, limited actions, and civil and domestic relations cases. A graduate of the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas School of Law, Judge Martin engaged in the private practice of law for 11 years and acted as Deputy Disciplinary Administrator from 1990 to 1992 prior to her appointment to the bench.

Judge Martin is a member of the Kansas Bar Association and the Douglas County Bar Association and served as President of that organization in 1986. She participates in a variety of community activities that support local youth, including serving as judge for moot court competitions, volunteering at debate and forensics tournaments and speaking with school groups. Judge Martin also supports a variety of local nonprofit and social services agencies and volunteers her time preparing meals for the Lawrence Community Shelter. In 2007, Judge Martin's family was named "Volunteer Family of the Year" by the Ballard Community Center.

Judge Martin believes that her greatest strengths as a judge are preparedness and appreciation for the importance of each case. She states that she listens and considers everything presented without bias. Judge Martin prides herself on her clear and concise written decisions; she cites her oral decisions as a weakness. She notes that, because she sees nothing as black and white, her rulings from the bench are sometimes less articulate and succinct than she would like. This is an area in which she will strive to improve. Her other professional goals are to stay current on the law and her own caseload and to continue to improve her judicial district with greater accessibility for unrepresented parties and a more streamlined process for litigants and attorneys alike.

The Commission received survey responses from 31 attorneys and 106 non-attorneys. Survey results showed that 87% of attorneys and 86% of non-attorneys recommended that Judge Martin be retained in office. Survey results also indicated that 100% of the attorneys surveyed perceived Judge Martin to be completely neutral in criminal cases. Judge Martin received an overall average score from attorneys of 3.45 on a 4.0 scale, an overall average score from nonattorneys of 3.38, and an overall average score from appellate judges of 3.1. Judge Martin's scores exceed the required minimum average grade of 2.0 from each category of respondents. The Commission recommends that she BE RETAINED.