REVIEW-JOURNAL ENDORSEMENT: District Court, Department 20
In Department 20, Dawn Allysa Hooker, a personal injury attorney, seeks to unseat Judge Eric Johnson.
Judge Johnson, who attended the University of Kansas law school, was appointed to his position in 2015 and won voter approval the following year. He previously served three decades with the Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor. Judge Johnson earned a middling 64 percent retention rating from lawyers responding to the Review-Journal’s 2019 judicial survey, but scored well regarding impartiality and diligence. During his time on the bench, he has upheld the constitutionality of the state’s now dormant school choice program and been unafraid to challenge prosecutors about possible overreach.
We urge a vote for Judge Eric Johnson.