7th Judicial District Nominating Commission to convene August 17 and 18 to interview candidates for district judge

TOPEKA—The 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 17, and Thursday, August 18, in the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, Lawrence, to interview candidates to fill a judge vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Judge Robert Fairchild.

Interviews are open to the public.

The candidates, all Douglas County residents, are:

• Andrew D. Bauch, assistant district attorney with the Douglas County District Attorney's Office.

• Gregory T. Benefiel, assistant attorney general – traffic safety resource prosecutor with the Kansas Attorney General's Office.

• Dennis D. Depew, deputy attorney general for civil litigation with the Kansas Attorney General's Office.

• Daniel A. Dunbar, who currently works in the Office of Chief Counsel with the Kansas Department of Administration. He also serves as a judge pro tem in Shawnee County District Court.

• Carl A. Folsom III, assistant federal public defender with the Office of the Federal Public Defender, District of Kansas.

• Amy J. Hanley, assistant attorney general – criminal litigation division with the Kansas Attorney General's Office.

• Shon D. Qualseth, with Thompson Ramsdell Qualseth & Warner, P.A.

• Bethany J. Roberts, with Barber Emerson, L.C.

• Suzanne Valdez, with University of Kansas School of Law.

Kansas law requires that a judge be a resident of the district at the time of taking office and while serving, be at least 30 years old, have actively practiced law for at least five years, and be admitted to practice law in Kansas.

After the interviews, the commission will select from three to five candidates whose names will be submitted to the governor and he will have 60 days to decide whom to appoint.

The 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric Rosen as the nonvoting chair; and Ashley P.A. All, Elizabeth S. Cateforis, Michael C. McGrew, Terry L. Smith, Wesley F. Smith, and Catherine C. Theisen, all of Lawrence.