Master Lawyer Dionne M. SCHERFF

Dionne Scherff defends adults and minors accused of crimes in Kansas and Missouri courts. Dionne has extensive experience handling criminal cases in both federal and state courts. She is one of the few attorneys in Kansas qualified by the Kansas Supreme Court to handle death penalty cases and one of only two attorneys in Kansas death penalty history to have achieved the dismissal of a capital case.Dionne has an incredible ability to put you at ease, even in the most challenging situations. Her skill in building connections allows her to quickly understand her clients and their cases, enabling her to identify the best course of action promptly. After a client nicknamed Dionne “Big Mama,” the JHC criminal defense team agreed the name suited her perfectly. We can’t imagine a better way to describe Dionne’s exquisite balance of strength and compassion.Dionne began her trial attorney career at the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office and the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, where she specialized in prosecuting child abuse and sexual crimes. After a decade of experience on the prosecution side, she transitioned to defense practice in 2003. Since then, Dionne has dedicated her practice to defending the wrongly accused, protecting the constitutional rights of criminal defendants, and ensuring fair sentencing in all types of criminal cases. On the anniversary of her transition to criminal defense, Dionne’s colleagues at the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers awarded her the 2024 Clarence Darrow Award for outstanding performance in criminal defense.Dionne has been a member of JHC since her former firm, Erickson Scherff LLC, merged with JHC in 2016. As an adjunct trial advocacy professor at the University of Kansas, she is also shaping the next generation of trial attorneys.