OJA

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court appointed five new members to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Council and reappointed two more.

All will serve from July 1 through June 30, 2021.

New members are:

• Denise Parker, court services officer and approved mediator for the 16th Judicial District, composed of Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Kiowa, and Meade counties
• Jenna Esquibel, court services officer and approved mediator, 10th Judicial District, composed of Johnson County
• Sharon Seidler, approved mediator, Riley County Domestic Mediation Services
• Laura Lewis, approved mediator, 16th Judicial District
• Sara Wheeler, court services officer and approved mediator, 13th Judicial District, composed of Butler, Greenwood, and Elk counties.

Reappointed were:

• District Judge Sally Pokorny, Lawrence, who serves in Douglas County of the 7th Judicial District
• Roxanne Emmert-Davis, mediator and trainer in Shawnee County.

The Dispute Resolution Act established dispute resolution as a means to resolve issues without litigation, using an impartial third party to help the two sides reach a settlement.

Council members are knowledgeable about and trained in dispute resolution. The council advises the Supreme Court and its director of dispute resolution.