After an accomplished career of working and volunteering to help Kansas City area children, women and some of the city's poorest and most underserved communities, Jolie Justus was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 2006. Since entering the Senate, she has been a leading advocate for children, reproductive rights, crime victims and has been an outspoken supporter of educational rights for children in foster care.

Senator Justus serves on the following committees: Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections; Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence; Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics; Seniors, Families and Public Health; Joint Committee on Legislative Research; Children's Services; and Court Automation. She was also one of two senators appointed to the President Pro Tem's Blue Ribbon Panel on Autism.

Senator Justus graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, with a Bachelor of Science in Communications. She went on to earn her juris doctorate, with distinction, from University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law.

Senator Justus is also the Director of Pro Bono Services for the law firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP. Under her direction, SHB has been recognized as one of the top 100 free legal services programs in the nation. In Kansas City Jolie is a volunteer for St. Vincent's/Operation Breakthrough, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, PROMO, and Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. She has provided free legal workshops and clinics to clients of the Kansas City Free Health Clinic, the Good Samaritan Project, Micah Ministries and Veronica's Voice.

During law school she served as Managing Editor of the UMKC Law Review, was a member of the Bench and Robe Honor Society and received the Charles E. Whittaker Award for Academic Excellence. Senator Justus is licensed to practice law in the state of Missouri, the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.

Senator Justus lives in downtown Kansas City and is the proud co-parent of a 16-year-old daughter, Angel. A Democrat, Senator Justus represents the 10th District, which includes much of Kansas City and the city of Grandview.