The Hon. Kristi M. Cott is a judge for the 25th Judicial District Court of Kansas. She was appointed to the bench by Governor Laura Kelly on May 11, 2021, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Ricklin Pierce.
The 25th Judicial District encompasses Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita Counties.
Prior to her appointment, Cott was an attorney in private practice in Garden City, a law firm she opened in 2020. She represented clients in criminal defense, guardianship, and conservatorship cases.
Cott earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota in 2000. She then completed a J.D. at the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2006.
After graduating from law school, Cott began her legal career as an assistant public defender with the Western Regional Public Defender Office. She served in that capacity for ten years, eventually leaving to become an assistant county attorney with the Finney County Attorney’s Office.
Her memberships have included the Kansas Bar Association.
She was a resident of Garden City, Kansas, at the time of her appointment. She and her husband have two children.