Suzanne Valdez was sworn in as Douglas County District Attorney on January 11, 2021.
Leading an office of 15 attorneys, 20 professional staff members, and four law school interns, DA Valdez’s mission is to ensure a safe and just community. Through adaptability, DA Valdez has maximized the office’s limited resources to prioritize prosecution of violent crime, including sexual assault of children and adults, intimate partner violence, and gun crimes. With the recent increase in fentanyl-related deaths, DA Valdez prosecutes individuals who distribute this highly addictive and deadly poison.
DA Valdez remains steadfast in her commitment to responsible criminal justice reform, promoting fair and equal justice, supporting appropriate alternatives to incarceration, and preventing crime by engaging in community outreach and supporting victims of crime.
A dynamic legal professional with an impressive career that spans almost 30 years, DA Valdez embarked on her legal journey in 1996 after graduating from the University of Kansas School of Law. She began by championing justice as an attorney at Kansas Legal Services, advocating for marginalized clients in diverse cases, including divorce, protection from abuse matters, landlord/tenant disputes, and other litigation. She then joined the KU School of Law faculty in 1999, mentoring legal interns and continuing to supervise cases involving family law, landlord-tenant disputes, criminal misdemeanor defense, and juvenile offender cases. While a faculty member, DA Valdez taught a practical and popular course on Kansas law practice, authored many law journal articles related to Kansas law, and co-authored the book “Prosecutorial Ethics” (Third Edition), showcasing her commitment to ethical legal practices.
Her desire to continue practicing law outside the classroom led DA Valdez to become a special prosecutor in Wyandotte County, Kansas, where she handled high-level felony prosecutions for several years. She also represented private clients in civil litigation disputes. In 2008, Valdez accepted the role of a temporary District Judge Pro Tem in Douglas County, presiding over the juvenile offender docket and post-divorce motions docket for approximately seven months.
As a testament to her passion for justice, DA Valdez chaired the Kansas Crime Victims Compensation Board for an impressive nine years (2009-2018) where she oversaw a budget averaging $4 million dollars annually and offered support to survivors of violent crimes. Her dedication to the community was further evident in her role on the Douglas County CASA Board from 2013 to 2018, advocating for the welfare of children. DA Valdez continues her passion for protecting children by serving on the board of the Douglas County Child Advocacy Center, which provides forensic interviews for children who have been abused or neglected, as well as therapeutic support for children and families. In 2019, DA Valdez lost her only sibling, Christopher Valdez, a U.S. Army veteran, to fentanyl poisoning. Christopher’s death has inspired DA Valdez’s work to prosecute drug dealers and hold all those accountable for fentanyl deaths. DA Valdez and her family, who are long-time residents of Douglas County, call Lawrence home. Hailing originally from Arizona, her roots and values are deeply embedded in her legal endeavors, making Suzanne Valdez a vibrant force for justice in our community.