Tony Martinez vying for open WYCO judge seat
Tony Martinez is one of three candidates running in the Aug. 2 primary elections to replace Wyandotte County District Court Judge Michael Grosko who is retiring. With no Republican challenger, the primary winner will be elected to the 29th District Court, Division 13.
A longtime trial lawyer with his own general law practice, Martinez is running on his experience and community involvement and to advance court diversity.
“I think it’s important to have a bench that reflects the population,” he said.
None of the 29th District’s 16 judges are Hispanic, but Hispanics account for 27.7 percent of the population the court serves, Census data shows.
“People don’t understand why there’s no Hispanic judge, but it’s up to them to vote,” Martinez said. “And it’s up to qualified Hispanic attorneys to step up and be viable candidates.”
Until 1992 when he started his own law practice, Martinez, worked for the former Shughart Thomson & Kilroy law firm and later for Cullan and Cullan.
He earned his law degree from Washburn University Law School and spent seven years at private law firms before starting Martinez Law Office. The firm’s practice areas take in civil and criminal disciplines, including family law, estate planning, trust and estate administration, business law, criminal defense and more.
Because of his experience, Martinez said, “I’ll know what to do when people come into my courtroom.”
If elected to the bench, he would preside over civil and criminal hearings and jury trials.
“For 25 years, I’ve worked with everyday folks. I have the ability to relate to people and treat everyone with parity,” Martinez said.
Like his immediate forebears, he’s firmly rooted in Midwestern culture. His grandfather, Alberto fled during the Mexican Revolution. He picked beets and beans before hiring on with an Armourdale meatpacking plant. Both Kansas City, Kan., natives, his father, Robert worked in the railyards, his mother, Teresa tested wheat at Seaboard Allied Milling Corp. Martinez started bussing tables at 13 before going to work at a KCK grain elevator. It was there and later at a Topeka grain elevator that Martinez worked his way through college and law school.
He’s the most viable candidate competing for a four-year term in the 29th Judicial District, Division 13, he said, as his experience and community and civic involvement attests. His engagement includes the NAACP, Rotary Club and KICKS Sports Ministry of KCK where Martinez coaches.
His opponents in the Aug. 2 election are Renee S. Henry and Deryl W. Wynn.
Martinez, 56, is licensed to practice law in federal courts in Missouri and Kansas and Kansas state courts. He’s a member of the Kansas, Kansas City Metropolitan and Wyandotte County bar associations, he said.
Martinez and his wife, Angela live in Kansas City, Kan. They have five children and a granddaughter.
“As an attorney, I’ve earned the trust and respect of my clients over the years,” Martinez said. “Now, I want to be their judge.”
