TOPEKA — The Judicial Conduct Commission has recommended that retired District Magistrate Judge Marty Clark, who served in Russell County with the 20th Judicial District, be disciplined with public censure for violations of judicial conduct rules, according to information from the Kansas Supreme Court.
The case is one of those on the Supreme Court court Oct. 25–29 docket. This docket differs from in-person oral arguments in the Supreme Court courtroom.
Instead of hearing cases back-to-back, the court will hear cases at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1:30 p.m., with a recess after each. The Clark case (case number 123,911) is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28.
All cases will be heard by video conference and livestreamed on the Kansas Supreme Court YouTube channel.
According to the docket, in 2019, Clark and his wife registered for public online dating for couples. Clark gave access to others to view nude and partially nude photos of himself.
Clark maintained a relationship with another woman on the website and discussed the prospect of sexual activities with each other in his judicial chambers, the information notes. The two exchanged sexually revealing photos of each other.
The woman’s husband filed a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Commission. The commission concluded Clark violated Rule 1.2 and Rule 3.1(C). The Judicial Conduct Commission recommended Clark be disciplined for the violations by public censure.
Clark retired May 1 after having been a magistrate judge in Russell County since 1998. Russell County is part of the 20th Judicial District, which also includes Barton, Ellsworth, Rice and Stafford counties.
Clark had been active in judicial-related groups and committees. He served on the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission and the judicial branch’s Judges Assistance Committee. He was a member of the 20th Judicial District Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board.
Clark received the Lee Nusser Award for Outstanding Magistrate Judge of 2020 from the Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association. He served the previous year as president of the association.
He was named Kansas CASA Judge of the Year in 1989 and nominated twice for the National CASA Judge of the Year.
Clark is a Smith Center native and graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1989 with a degree in sociology and an emphasis in criminal justice.
District magistrate judges in the 20th Judicial District are elected by partisan ballot. Clark was last elected to a four-year term in 2020.
