Johnson enjoys challenge of courtroom
Staff writer
John C. Johnson has been practicing law in Hillsboro for 29 years.
Born and raised in Wichita, he graduated from Southeast High School. He graduated from Wichita State University in December 1966 with a bachelor of arts degree in economics.
From 1967 to 1968, he served in the Army. He was sent to Vietnam and was a first lieutenant when he left the service.
"I was released early to go to law school," Johnson said. "There were about nine of us veterans that went through law school at the same time."
In January 1969, Johnson started at Washburn University in Topeka.
"A tornado had destroyed the law school, so we were meeting in trailers and mobile units for one semester," he said. "Then in my junior year they finished a new building that still stands today — that whole experience was very interesting."
In March of 1970, he married the former Judy Graber of Kingman, who was in radiology technology school n Wichita.
"It's interesting story of how we met," Johnson said. "My roommate was engaged to her roommate and I saw a picture of her and Judy. I asked my roommate to introduce me to his fiancé's roommate, and nine months later Judy and I were married."
In December of 1971 he graduated from law school.
"Since it was midterm, I was in the class of 1972," Johnson explained. "So we veterans were the older students, who graduated in that class."
While in law school, under the GI Bill, he worked as a law clerk in the Attorney General's office. During that time Johnson was recalled to the reserves.
After passing the bar in April 1972, his first job was to be an assistant to the then Attorney General Vern Miller.
Johnson said that the war was a difficult experience for him and others. He remembered that around 1969, he began attending the Southern Hills Mennonite Church in Topeka.
"The Mennonite Church began to appeal to me," Johnson said, "especially its peace stance. So I became involved with the Mennonite church and its stances and was an active member in Topeka."
When Johnson was going into private practice, he began looking at the different cities in Kansas.
"I had a list of criteria, that is still in my desk, of what things the cities must have," Johnson said.
Johnson said he looked for cities that had populations of 2,500 or less or counties that had a population of 15,00 or less.
"The two cities that met the criteria were Hillsboro and Elkhart both, which had a low lawyer to people ratio."
Johnson contacted Bob Arnold, whom he knew, and came to Hillsboro in 1973 as a sole practitioner.
Johnson's first location was at 109 E. Grand.
"I hung up a sign and went to work," Johnson said.
"Tip Top Credit Union was located next door, and they would help me answer the phones," he said with a smile. "Later, we moved to 107 E. Grand."
About 15 years ago, Johnson bought the building on Main Street, where his private practice business is presently located.
"I do about everything," Johnson said. "Kansas lawyers don't specialize as much, but they are starting to do that."
Johnson practices criminal law and also handles bankruptcy cases, as well as other legal matters. He is known as a trial lawyer — working out of Junction City and Marion County as a public defender.
In August 1975, the Johnson's first child, Jeremy, was born. He is a KU graduate and worked as a chemical engineer in Kansas City. He did voluntary service in Washington, D.C. and is now a graduate student at MIT in Cambridge Mass., getting his doctorate.
In July 1979, the couple had their second child, Joni, who is a 2001 Bethel College graduate. She lives in Kansas City and works for the State of Kansas Revenue Department in the sales tax compliance area. She will be taking graduate classes in the fall at UMKC.
Johnson has served in a number of positions in addition to being a private lawyer. He is the senior member of the Marion County Bar Association.
From 1976-80, he served as the Marion County attorney. During his term as a county attorney, Johnson prosecuted eight or nine murder cases.
He said one of his most memorable experiences, as county attorney, is when he talked a suicide victim, who was lodge in a tree, from killing others and himself. The story was reported in The Marion County Record in May 21, 1980.
"I'll never forget walking up that country road with the bullet-proof vest not knowing what was really going to happen," Johnson said.
He has served as president and now serves as treasurer of the Hillsboro Kiwanis Club. He is a member of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, has served on the local hospital board of directors, and was a city council member in 1982-84.
"I even ran for mayor at one time," Johnson said.
He and wife Judy have been members of Trinity Mennonite Church for close to 25 years. He has served as a trustee for the Western District Conference and was treasurer for Trinity Mennonite Church for six years. He is a roving assistant Sunday School teacher.
"I really enjoy that," Johnson said. "I get to rotate around and teach the different adult classes."
Johnson said he has enjoyed his life here in Hillsboro.
"I like the small-town atmosphere," he said. "Hillsboro is an interesting and unique place. There's not a better place to raise your kids. It's fun to be able to call yourself a 'country lawyer.'"
In April 2002, Johnson will celebrate 30 years as a lawyer with 29 of the years spent in Hillsboro.
"And I still like the competition — the fight of the courtroom," Johnson said. "I'm pretty aggressive in court."
