Wyandotte County District Court Judge Wes Griffin is running for re-election to district court judge, Division 16, in the 29th Judicial District, which includes Wyandotte County.
“I am devoted to serving the Wyandotte County community and I will never stop trying to make our court system better for our residents,” Griffin stated.
“Justice is not only about helping those who have been charged with crimes but also about making sure crime victims are heard. I have spent more than 40 years making sure that criminals who put our community at risk are held accountable. Everyone is given an opportunity to be heard and second chances are given to those who deserve it but I always put our community first.”
Griffin is a past prosecutor in the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s office and was legal counsel in the legal department of the city of Kansas City, Kansas.
He was the first full-time Municipal Court judge for Kansas City, Kansas.
In his position as a judge in Wyandotte County juvenile and criminal courts he has presided over 100 trials. Griffin is currently also a judge in the Wyandotte County Drug Court Program.
“I have been a judge in the Wyandotte County Drug Court Program since it started in 2010,” Griffin said. “Drug court is a specialty court where people struggling with addiction who are facing prison time are given help with substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, housing and employment. One hundred five people have successfully graduated from the program and it has served as the model for other specialty courts in Wyandotte County, such as Behavioral Health Court and Veteran’s Court.”
Griffin is a graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended Kansas City Kansas Community College and Washburn University and earned his juris doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law. He has been married to his wife, Joyce, for 45 years and has three children and four grandchildren. He attends St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
He has been involved in Piper Optimist Club for over 20 years, working to provide opportunities for youth in Wyandotte County.