Park University's Women Transforming Criminal Justice Event to Feature Municipal Judge Courtney Wachal as the Keynote Speaker
On March 5, 2025, Courtney Wachal, J.D., will be the featured speaker at Park University's 3rd annual Women Transforming Criminal Justice event. This event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater inside Alumni Hall on Park University's flagship Parkville Campus.
Courtney Wachal is a renowned figure in the realm of domestic violence and wellness courts in Kansas City, Missouri. She has made significant strides in advancing the judicial system's approach to handling cases involving domestic violence, focusing on both legal processes and the well-being of affected individuals.
As the presiding judge of Kansas City, Mo.'s municipal court, Wachal has played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of specialized court programs designed to address the complex needs of domestic violence survivors, while promoting offender accountability and community safety. Her initiatives include the compliance docket, a supervised probation docket for high-risk domestic violence offenders, and the newly launched Wellness Court, a combination of the drug court and mental health court programs in Kansas City Municipal Court.
During the event, Wachal will share insights into domestic violence programming and engage in a panel discussion with experts who will outline their roles in providing domestic violence services. The discussion will cover the domestic violence compliance docket's drug court track, which was developed in June 2019.
In addition to her role as a judge, Wachal is an ex-officio member of the board of directors for the Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City and a member of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. She has also served as the past president of the board of directors for Sheffield Place and currently serves on the organization's advisory board. Wachal also serves as a mentor with the Association for Women Lawyers Foundation Denise Henning Connections Program.
The event will be livestreamed at ourwebsiteumedia.com for those who are unable to attend in person. A question-and-answer session will conclude the event, providing attendees with the opportunity to ask Wachal questions about her work and experiences.
Wachal's contributions to the field of law have not gone unnoticed. In November 2024, she was recognized by the Missouri Lawyers' Assistance Program with the Dorothy Kaiser Award for her pioneering contributions in the field of chemical dependency, recovery, and continuing compassionate care for lawyers in Missouri. Previous honors received by Wachal include the Hon. Joseph E. Stevens Aspire to Excellence Award from the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Women's Justice Award for Public Service from Missouri Lawyers Media, Judge of the Year by the Association for Women Lawyers, Champion of Change by the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, Rising Star of Philanthropy by Nonprofit Connect, and the Young Lawyers Section Pro Bono Publico Award from the Missouri Bar Association.
Wachal earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kansas School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
For more detailed information on her specific positions, publications, or awards, please let us know!
Courtney Wachal's insights into domestic violence programming and her work in the education-and-self-development of the judicial system's approach to handling cases involving domestic violence will be shared at the event, as she engages in a panel discussion with experts. Wachal's achievements in the field of law, particularly her advancements in the education-and-self-development of domestic violence services and specialized court programs, have earned her several prestigious awards.
