This analysis combines publicly funded payment records associated with Child in Need of Care (CINC) proceedings in Sedgwick County from 2021 through April 2026. The data was obtained through records requests submitted under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA).
The totals reflected in this analysis combine multiple county payment classifications, including:
- Guardian ad Litem (GAL) payments
- Child attorney payments
- Parent attorney/CINC attorney payments
By combining these categories, the analysis provides a broader view of total publicly funded legal expenditures associated with individual attorneys and law firms involved in CINC-related proceedings.
The data indicates that a relatively small number of attorneys and firms received a substantial portion of publicly funded legal payments during the reviewed period. Some firms appear repeatedly across multiple payment classifications, resulting in significantly higher combined totals when categories are analyzed together rather than separately.
This analysis does not allege wrongdoing or misconduct by any attorney, firm, agency, or court official. The purpose of publishing the data is to promote transparency, public education, and informed discussion regarding government expenditures associated with child welfare and juvenile court systems.
The records were analyzed and compiled by the Public Records & Civil Rights Project, Inc. to assist the public in understanding how public funds are distributed within Sedgwick County’s CINC legal system.
Source
Sedgwick County financial records obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA).
Top 5 Combined Public Payments to Sedgwick County CINC Attorneys
| Row Labels | Sum of SUM |
|---|---|
| Donnelly-Mills and Hobson | 1169037.74 |
| Beall and Mitchell LLC | 945610.35 |
| Marcus Smith | 652505 |
| Michael Lazzo | 622745.5 |
| Peter Hagan | 601228 |
| Grand Total | 3991126.59 |
Top 10 Government Paid Parent CINC Sedgwick County Attorneys 2021-April 14 2026
| Sum of Payment | Column Labels | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row Labels | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | (blank) | Grand Total |
| Donnelly-Mills and Hobson | 121112.23 | 99960 | 122613 | 131015 | 146100 | 47950 | 668750.23 | |
| Gerard Scott | 54390 | 56779.08 | 54141.7 | 66195 | 67400 | 13400 | 312305.78 | |
| Joseph Favre | 70385 | 70350 | 87988 | 86917 | 99830 | 41631.71 | 457101.71 | |
| Judy Fowler | 69090 | 68040 | 87940 | 66430 | 55600 | 347100 | ||
| Linda Priest | 54404 | 61978 | 67218 | 70270 | 45460 | 9300 | 308630 | |
| Marcus Smith | 97110 | 98420 | 113420 | 101470 | 118400 | 43050 | 571870 | |
| Michael Lazzo | 52850 | 70910 | 68165 | 78345 | 93700 | 32200 | 396170 | |
| Morris Laing Evans Brock and Kennedy | 83160 | 93618 | 97230 | 84913.5 | 86810 | 445731.5 | ||
| Peter Hagan | 52290 | 58590 | 66165 | 81155 | 79100 | 24900 | 362200 | |
| Steven Wagle | 43960 | 60508 | 66575 | 97515 | 89300 | 27600 | 385458 | |
| Grand Total | 698751.23 | 739153.08 | 831455.7 | 864225.5 | 881700 | 240031.71 | 4255317.22 |
Top 10 Paid Sedgwick County GAL 2021-April 2026
| Sum of Payment | Column Labels | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row Labels | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | (blank) | Grand Total |
| Anna Jumpponen | 34625 | 14800 | 49425 | |||||
| Beall and Mitchell LLC | 40837.5 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 11100 | 229537.5 | |
| Dana Winkler | 40837.5 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 11100 | 229537.5 | |
| Jaime Blackwell | 40837.5 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 11100 | 229537.5 | |
| Joel Hesse | 40837.5 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 44400 | 11100 | 229537.5 | |
| Michael Cleary | 40837.5 | 44400 | 18500 | 103737.5 | ||||
| Michael Lazzo | 40837.5 | 44400 | 40700 | 45138 | 44400 | 11100 | 226575.5 | |
| Morris Laing Evans Brock and Kennedy | 25900 | 44400 | 45330 | 115630 | ||||
| Peter Hagan | 40837.5 | 45135 | 47428.5 | 46147 | 48380 | 11100 | 239028 | |
| SJ Law LLC | 29600 | 44400 | 46600 | 44400 | 165000 | |||
| Grand Total | 320487.5 | 355935 | 354528.5 | 359885 | 360110 | 66600 | 1817546 |
Top 10 Government Paid Child CINC Sedgwick County Attorneys 2021-April 14 2026
| Sum of Payment | Column Labels | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row Labels | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | (blank) | Grand Total |
| Beall and Mitchell LLC | 78683.14 | 100358 | 99000 | 99000 | 99000 | 24750 | 500791.14 | |
| Donnelly-Mills and Hobson | 72213.18 | 107675.33 | 105899 | 90750 | 99000 | 24750 | 500287.51 | |
| Pate and Paugh, LLC | 70591 | 100043 | 99000 | 99000 | 99000 | 24750 | 492384 | |
| Elder Law | 41250 | 99000 | 99000 | 24750 | 264000 | |||
| Stephen House | 90996 | 108499 | 51373 | 250868 | ||||
| Marcus Smith | 11130 | 14070 | 23515 | 19970 | 10850 | 1100 | 80635 | |
| Laurie Kahrs | 21910 | 9527 | 13437 | 44874 | ||||
| Gerard Scott | 3920 | 6041 | 6310.5 | 6780.25 | 8320 | 5620 | 36991.75 | |
| Charles Osburn | 18046 | 4928 | 2065 | 25039 | ||||
| Shannon Cooper | 14147 | 6020 | 1155 | 500 | 21822 | |||
| Grand Total | 381636.32 | 457161.33 | 441849.5 | 415655.25 | 415670 | 105720 | 2217692.4 |
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