The Barton County Republican Committee met Monday night at the Barton County Courthouse and elected 37-year old Levi Morris to fill out the remaining two years of former County Attorney Amy Mellor’s term in office. Morris was the only candidate for the position that Mellor resigned from last Friday.

Morris graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in the Spring of 2011 and was admitted to the Kansas bar later that year. In the spring of 2013, he joined the Barton County Attorney’s Office where he was responsible for prosecuting Felony and Misdemeanor criminal cases, child in need of care cases and juvenile offenders. In 2015, Morris returned to private practice in Lyons and currently has an office in Great Bend as well.

Morris took plenty of questions from those in attendance at Monday night’s meeting including questions about how cases have been prosecuted by the current County Attorney’s Office. He says new sentencing guidelines in many ways dictate the way cases can be prosecuted.

Morris Audio

Morris was also asked if he was going to fire Doug Matthews, the former Barton County Attorney who is now a prosecutor in the county attorney’s office. Matthews decided not to seek another term in office in 2016 but was then hired by Amy Mellor after she had won the election.

Morris Audio

Morris’ name will now be submitted to Governor Jeff Collyer who will have seven days to sign off on the election of Morris to the County Attorney’s position.