Former Warren County Assessor Wendy (Nordwald) Kozma’s probation revocation hearing was delayed April 14 as Kozma had requested a public defender and required a due process order from Osage County Judge Sony Brandt for legal representation. 

That hearing was set for 10 a.m. on July 18 at the Warren County Courthouse. 

Kozma, who now lives in Florida, was called back into court in January after the Warren County Prosecuting Attorney’s office filed a motion to revoke her probation citing a lack of restitution payments. 

Kozma said she met with several attorneys after the Jan. 27 hearing and was unable to afford their services and instead applied for a public defender on March 1. The public defender’s office filed a request for a due process order from Brandt along with an indigency hearing. 

Indigency refers to a person who is unable to secure legal representation or unable to afford legal representation and requires the service of a public defender. Kozma stated she believes she is indigent at the hearing. 

Brandt questioned Kozma under oath about her finances and she stated she has no assets and only started receiving retirement payments of $500 a month from the Missouri County Employees Retirement Fund. She stated she only has $100 in her checking account and her husband has been assisting her financially, including the costs of flights to appear in court. 

She said she is unable to work and applied for disability benefits in Florida in August 2022 and that case is still pending. 

The court ordered that restitution would be drawn from any disability or social security benefits she receives in October 2023. 

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Grant Folkmann requested discovery for finances from Kozma and her husband to verify her claims. 

He also said “if payments would start again, that would impact the state’s motion” to revoke her probation. 

Brandt agreed with that statement if there was a “good faith effort” to resume payments. 

“A couple of payments, even small, would be a large step in the right direction,” said Folkmann. 

He also clarified the state’s position if payments do not resume. 

“At hearing, the state will be seeking incarceration,” said Folkmann. 

Kozma pleaded guilty to 15 charges of stealing from the Missouri State Assessors Association in June 2022 for embezzling over $200,000. Her plea deal included a four month prison sentence and restitution payments of over $213,000 in lieu of a 10-year prison sentence. 

The hearing on Jan. 27 was the second time Kozma had been called back in front of a judge for lack of payment. She was ordered by Brandt to make monthly payments of $1,200 and the prosecuting attorney's office said, to date, she has only paid $12,000 of her $213,000 restitution and has not made a payment since July 2024. 

Her probation remains suspended.