Erika DeMarco

Erika DeMarco was born and raised in Southeast Kansas. Upon graduation from Independence High School, she attended Northwestern University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Political Science with a minor in Integrated Arts. It was during this time that she first became interested in criminal justice.  Upon graduation, she attended law school at the University of Kansas School of Law where her interest in the criminal justice system guided her education.  She participated in the Innocence Project, earning recognition for her work by receiving the Paul E. Wilson Advocacy Award.

In her final year of law school, Judge DeMarco began an internship at the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office.  This internship turned into a career upon being sworn in as a lawyer, and she spent the next eleven years as a prosecutor in that office.  She spent the early part of her career as a prosecutor handling domestic violence cases and juvenile offender matters.  She then moved to the Special Victims Unit and spent the latter portion of her career tirelessly seeking justice for victims of sexual violence and child abuse.  Her work in this field earned her recognition as Johnson County Child Advocate of the Year. 

In 2017, Judge DeMarco left her career as a prosecutor to be sworn in as the Judge of the Lenexa Municipal Court, where she currently presides over thousands of cases filed annually in the city.  Her experience in municipal court has exposed her to an entirely different area of the criminal justice system, which she has found equally as interesting and rewarding. 

Throughout her career as a prosecutor and a judge, Judge DeMarco has sought numerous additional opportunities to serve and improve the field of criminal justice.  Among those, she has always particularly enjoyed mentoring students and sharing her interest in the field.  As such, she is thrilled to have this opportunity to teach the students in this program