25th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees for district judge vacancy

25th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees for district judge vacancy 
 
TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge vacancy.  
  
The vacancy will be created when Judge Wendel Wurst retires January 6,2023.   
 
The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties. 
 
Justice Dan Biles, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 25th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must be made in writing on the 25th Judicial District's official nomination form and include the nominee's signature.   
 
Eligibility requirements  
 
Nominees for district judge must be:   

• at least 30 years old;
   

• a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least five years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school; and
   

• a resident of the judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office. 

  
Nomination process  
 
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, or Wichita counties, the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at www.kscourts.org/judges/Become-a-Judge.  
 
Nominations must be submitted by paper copy. The deadline to submit a nomination with supporting documents is noon Thursday, September 1. 
  
Paper submissions require one original and 14 copies to be sent to: 
  
William Heydman 
Commission secretary 
1519 E Fulton Terrace 
PO Box 2010 
Garden City KS 67846 
  
Public interviews 
  
The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Friday, September 30, at the Finney County Courthouse, 425 N 8th St., Room 301. Interviews are open to the public. 
  
Accommodation  
 
Any person with a disability who requires accommodation to access the nominating commission meeting should notify the judicial branch ADA coordinator as early as possible:  
  
ADA Coordinator  
ADA@kscourts.org 
785-296-2256  
TTY at 711  
 
Nominees to the governor   
  
The nominating commission will interview nominees for the district judge position and then select from three to five people whose names will be submitted to the governor to fill the position according to statutory qualification and residency requirements. The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint. 
  
Term of office  
 
After serving one year in office, a new judge must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the incumbent will serve a four-year term.  
 
Nominating commission  
 
The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Dan Biles as the nonvoting chair; Jennifer Cunningham, Lucille Douglass, Walker Frey, John Lindner, Zachary Schultz, and William Heydman, Garden City; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Rita Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp, Scott City; Robert Gale Jr. and Megan Larkin, Syracuse; and Joyce Huddleston, Tribune.