Eleven apply for Shawnee County judge vacancy

TOPEKA—Eleven Topeka area attorneys submitted applications Thursday to fill a vacancy on the Shawnee County District Court created by the retirement of Judge Charles Andrews.

Submitting applications were: Athena Andaya, a deputy state attorney general; Bradley R. Burke, chief legal counsel for the Juvenile Justice Authority; Lee J. Davidson, an assistant attorney general; Jason E. Geier, senior assistant Shawnee County district attorney; Kimberly L. Knoll, a deputy attorney disciplinary administrator; Joe R. Little, a sole practitioner in Topeka; Mary E. Mattivi, who serves as judge pro tem in Shawnee County District Court and Topeka Municipal Court, as well as a prosecutor for the City of Maple Hill; Derenda Mitchell, an assistant attorney general; Carl William "Bill" Ossmann, chief litigation attorney for the state Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services; Fred C. Patton, a Topeka attorney in private practice; and Duston J. Slinkard, an assistant attorney general assigned to work as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

The Third Judicial District Nomination Commission will interview the applicants June 11, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Shawnee County Courthouse. The Nominating Commission will narrow the list to two or three names, which then will be submitted to the governor for appointment. The governor will have 30 days in which to make the appointment. The newly appointed judge will then be on the next general election ballot after having served a year in office for a yes or no vote on whether he or she should be retained for another term.