3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission fills one district magistrate judge position, reopens nominating process for second position

TOPEKA—The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission has selected Christopher Turner to fill a district magistrate position.

The nominating commission could not reach consensus on who will fill a second position, so the commission is reopening the nomination process. Nominations are due by noon Monday, August 29.

The new district magistrate judge positions were certified by Administrative Order 2022-JA-020 after the Kansas Legislature passed and the governor signed 2022 House Substitute for Substitute for Senate Bill No. 267 to fund them.

The 3rd Judicial District is Shawnee County.

Justice Caleb Stegall, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 3rd Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must be made in writing on the 3rd Judicial District's official nomination form and include the nominee's signature.  

Eligibility requirements 

Kansas law requires that this district magistrate judge be: 

• a resident of Shawnee County at the time of taking office and while holding office; 

• a graduate of a high school, a secondary school, or the equivalent; and 

• either a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas or able to pass an examination to become certified within 18 months. 

Nomination process 

Nominations must include a nomination form available from the Shawnee County clerk of the district court; the clerk of the appellate courts in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka; or online at www.kscourts.org/Judges/Become-a-Judge or www.shawneecourt.org.

Nominations may be submitted electronically or by paper copy. The deadline to submit a nomination with supporting documents is noon Monday, August 29.
 
Electronic submissions can be sent to jdnc.nominationform@kscourts.org.
 
Paper submissions require one original and one copy to be sent to:
 
Justice Caleb Stegall
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th Ave.
Topeka KS 66612
 
Public interviews
 
The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Friday, September 23, at the Shawnee County Courthouse, 200 SE 7th Street. 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 

Term of office 

After serving one year in office, a magistrate 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 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Caleb Stegall as the nonvoting chair; Toby McCullough, Rossville; and Whitney Casement, Thomas Lemon, Randall Phillips, Rebecca Sanders, and Eric Stafford, Topeka.