TOPEKA—Cindy MacDonald said she hoped to finish her final year as court clerk for Dickinson County District Court without fanfare.
“I just wanted to retire quietly after 24 years,” she said.
But Chief Judge Benjamin Sexton, 8th Judicial District, wanted MacDonald to experience a rare honor before she retired. He nominated her to be honorary bailiff for the Kansas Supreme Court special session in Abilene on March 10.
As bailiff, MacDonald will call the audience to order at 6:30 p.m. as the Supreme Court enters for its special session.
“Cindy is so deserving of this honor,” Sexton said. “She is a tremendous leader whose work ethic is an example for our trial court clerks.”
MacDonald’s career in legal field
MacDonald said legal careers run in her family. Her father was one of the first court administrators in Kansas, and her mother was an administrative secretary for judges in Salina.
“I started working part-time at a law firm while I was in high school,” she said. “Both of my sisters also worked for firms, and at one time all three of us were at the same one, but I was the only one who stayed in the field.”
MacDonald began as a legal secretary and later became a certified legal assistant working at various law firms. After 18 years, she was ready for a new challenge.
“When I saw the district court clerk position, I knew it was the right opportunity for me,” she said.
She said it appealed to her because it would allow her to learn more about legal processes beyond the specialized areas of practice in the law firms where she had worked.
“In district court, we handle all case types, so clerks have to know how to process every one of them and also be flexible about change,” she said. “Whether it’s updates to state statutes, changes to court rules, or new processes, being a clerk means you’re always learning something new every day.”
Having worked at both law firms and in the courts, MacDonald said she prefers her current role in the courthouse.
“I love the administrative side of the courts,” she said. “I get to work with the judges, train new trial court clerks, and connect the public with court resources.”
MacDonald said she also enjoys the planning and organizing that go into keeping the court running smoothly, skills she used during the Dickinson County Courthouse renovation in 2021.
Supreme Court special session in Abilene
The Supreme Court visit to Abilene is part of its outreach to familiarize Kansans with the court, its work, and the overall role of the Kansas judiciary.
The court will be in session from 6:30 p.m. to about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the Library Building Indoor Courtyard at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, 200 SE 4th Street, Abilene.
After the special session ends, justices will greet the public in an informal reception.
Attending the special session
Details about the special session, including the case that will be heard, an explanation of oral argument, and tips for attending in person are at kscourts.gov/travel-docket