TOPEKA—A nominating commission charged with appointing a district magistrate judge in Clay County has issued a request for assistance from the public.
The nine-member commission is responsible for selecting a district magistrate judge to fill the vacancy which was created when Hon. Paul Wright was not retained for another term during the general election.
“The nominating commission is especially interested in receiving recommendations from the general public. All of the citizens of Clay County are requested to consider this matter and the names of suggested nominees submitted by the public will be welcomed by the commission,” according to Justice Marla J. Luckert, departmental justice for Clay and Riley Counties.
Kansas statutes require that a district magistrate judge be a resident of the county in which appointed, be a graduate of a high school or its equivalent, and if not regularly admitted to practice law in Kansas, be certified by the Supreme Court as qualified to serve in the job.
Suggested appointees are requested to complete questionnaires for the position. The completed forms should be returned to Rodney C. Olsen, Commission Secretary, 232 Poyntz Ave., Suite 204, Manhattan, KS 66502, no later than noon, December 14, 2006. The forms are available in the office of clerk of the district court of Clay County.
The nominating commission will convene at 9:00 a.m., December 18, 2006, in the Clay County Courthouse, to interview the suggested appointees. The meeting will be open to the public; however, the commission has the authority to adjourn to executive session to discuss personal traits of the suggested appointees.
Notices of the vacancy have been mailed to every attorney in the 21st Judicial District by the chairman of the commission. Clay County is one of two counties in the 21st Judicial District.
The nominating commission includes Justice Luckert, nonvoting chairman; Derrick L. Roberson, Manhattan; Rodney C. Olsen, Manhattan; Barry A. Clark, Manhattan; James W. Morrison, Manhattan; Steven C. McMahan, Clay Center; Wade A. Bauer, Clay Center; Janet J. Kruh, Manhattan; and Frank A. Tillman, Manhattan.