Atchison County commissioners voted Jan. 7 to approve four yearly contracts for court-appointed representation in criminal, juvenile and care-and-treatment cases. The contracts—each for $3,500 per month—were signed electronically by the attorneys and approved by the commission.

County Counselor Pat presented the contracts and confirmed the four attorneys are: John Kurve, Robert Stephan, Judd Herbster and Matthew Rich. Pat said the dollar amounts matched the 2024 contracts and that some neighboring counties are experiencing difficulty recruiting panel attorneys. The board approved the contracts and Pat will finalize electronic signatures and file them.

The commission recorded the vote as unanimous.