The Hon. Jacqueline E. Thornton (Ret.) was a district magistrate for the 17th Judicial District Court of Kansas. After twenty years on the bench, she retired in 2013.
The 17th Judicial District includes Decatur, Graham, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, and Smith Counties.
Thornton held an assignment in Osborne. Prior to joining the bench, she was a former emergency medical technician and owner of a local restaurant, the Koffee Kup Kafe.
She received a bachelor’s degree in American studies and African studies from the University of Kansas.
Thornton was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Atchison, Kansas. Following her retirement, she graduated from seminary in 2022.