Meet our Judges

Meryl D Wilson 

(Chief Judge)

Judge Wilson graduated from Kansas State University in 1971 with a Bachelor's Degree in the Science of History. In 1974, he received his Law Degree from Washburn University and was in the private practice of law in Manhattan from 1974 until 1997. On April 18, 1997, Judge Wilson began his tenure as a District Judge of the 21st Judicial District. In 1997, he attended the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada and has served as President of the District Judges Association. In 2011, he was appointed to serve as a member of the Kansas Supreme Court's Blue Ribbon Commission.

Grant D Bannister 

Judge Bannister graduated from the University of Kansas Law School in 1997. He engaged in the private practice of law in Manhattan, Kansas for the following nineteen years. He also served as an adjunct professor teaching ethics in the College of Business at Kansas State University. Prior to being appointed as a District Court Judge in September of 2016, Bannister served on numerous legal committees, civic boards and youth organizations. He has competed in numerous half marathons and marathons. He is married and has three children.

James R Kepple

Judge Kepple practiced law for seven years prior to serving as a District Magistrate Judge in the 24th Judicial District from 1993 until his appointment as District Magistrate Judge in Riley County in 2017. Judge Kepple is a 1982 graduate of Kansas State University and a 1985 graduate of Washburn University School of Law. He has served on numerous legal committees, including the District Magistrate Judge Certification Committee, the Judicial Needs Assessment Committee of the Judicial Branch Weighted Caseload Study, and the Access to Justice Committee. Judge Kepple is married and has two children.