6th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees to fill district judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge vacancy in Bourbon County created by Judge Steven Montgomery’s July 3 retirement.
 
The 6th Judicial District is composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 6th Judicial District, said nominees can apply or be nominated, but it must be on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.
 
Eligibility requirements  
 
To be considered for a district judge, a nominee 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 selects three to five people whose names are 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.
 
Nomination process
 
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Bourbon, Linn, or Miami 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 Friday, May 5. No documents will be accepted digitally or by fax.
 
Submissions require one original and eight copies of the completed nomination form, a like number of supporting documents, and one executed release form to be delivered to:
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson, chair
6th Judicial District Nominating Commission
301 SW 10th Ave.
Topeka KS 66612
 
Public interviews
 
The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9:30 a.m. Monday, June 5, at the Linn County Justice Center.
 
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, preferably 10 working days before the meeting date:
 
ADA Coordinator
ADA@kscourts.org
785-296-2256
TTY at 711
 
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; Mark McCoy and Zackery Reynolds, Fort Scott; Patton Apple and Ronald Wood, Louisburg; Todd Schneider, Mound City; and Mary Stephenson, Paola.