6th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees for two district judge positions

TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominees for two new district judge positions that will be located in Bourbon and Miami counties.   
 
The district judge posts were certified by Supreme Court 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 6th Judicial District is composed of Miami, Linn, and Bourbon counties. 
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 6th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature. 
 
Eligibility requirements 
  
A nominee 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. 

The nominating commission seeks nominations and then meets to interview nominees. Interviews are open to the public.   
 
Nomination process  
  
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Bourbon, Linn, or Miami counties , clerk of the appellate courts in 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 in noon Friday, August 12. No documents will be submitted digitally or by fax.  
 
Submissions require one original and seven copies of the completed nomination form, a like number of supporting documents, and one executed release form, delivered to:   
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson 
Departmental Justice 
6th Judicial District Nominating Commission 
301 SW 10th St. 
Topeka, KS 66612-1507 
 
Public interviews   
  
The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 8 a.m. Wednesday, October 5, with interviews starting at 9 a.m. and continuing Thursday, October 6. Interviews will be at the Linn County Courthouse. 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 governor 
  
The nominating commission will select three to five people whose names will be submitted to the governor to fill these positions according to statutory qualification and residency requirements. The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint. 
  
If there are not sufficient nominees who reside in the judicial district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the district. 
  
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 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Patton Apple, Louisburg; Mark McCoy, and Zachery Reynolds, Fort Scott; Todd Schneider, Mound City; Mary Stephenson, Paola; and Ronald Wood, Louisburg.