TOPEKA—A nominating commission charged with appointing a district magistrate judge in Riley 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 by the 2007 Legislature and designated to be located in Riley County.
"The nominating commission is especially interested in receiving recommendations from the general public. All of the citizens of Riley 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 the 21st Judicial District, which includes 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 a nomination form for the position. The completed forms should be returned to Rodney C. Olsen, commission secretary, Morrison, Frost, Olsen & Irvine, LLP, 323 Poyntz, Manhattan, KS 66502, no later than noon, June 29, 2007. The forms are available in the office of clerk of the district court of Clay and Riley Counties and are online.
The nominating commission will convene at 9:00 a.m., July 11, 2007, in the Riley 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 are being mailed to every attorney in the 21st Judicial District by the chairman of the commission.
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; Kyle C. Bauer, Clay Center; Janet J. Kruh, Manhattan; and Frank A. Tillman, Manhattan.