Skip to content

Find today's releases at new Decisions Search

opener

TOPEKA—The 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 18, to interview nominees for a district judge vacancy created by Chief Judge David King’s January 1 retirement.   
  
The 1st Judicial District is composed of Atchison and Leavenworth counties.  

Interview schedule  
  
9 a.m.  
 
Allen Ternent, Atchison, sole practitioner, Ternent Law Office
 
9:30  a.m.  
 
Andrew Werring, Atchison, partner, Farris, Fresh & Werring Law Office, LLC

10 a.m.  
 
Michael Nichols, Kansas City, sole practitioner, Michael J. Nichols, P.A.

10:30 a.m.  

Break

10:45 a.m.  

Pamela Campbell Burton, Leavenworth, attorney, Murray, Tillotson & Burton

11:15 a.m.  

Jordan Pemble, Leavenworth, sole practitioner, the Law Office of J. W. Pemble

11:45 a.m.  

Rhonda Levinson, Kansas City, attorney, Perry & Trent LLC

12:15 p.m.  

Lunch

1 p.m.  

Crystal Henson, Tonganoxie, municipal court city prosecutor, Unified Government of Wyandotte County

1:30 p.m.

John Fresh, Atchison, partner, Farris, Fresh & Werring Law Office, LLC

Public access   
 
Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at:   
    
Leavenworth Justice Center

Courtroom 2
601 S 3rd St.
Leavenworth, KS 66056  

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  
  
District judge appointment process 
 
To be considered for 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 qualifications 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 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric S. Rosen as the nonvoting chair; Robert Bednar, Julia Clem, and Rosemary Nies, Atchison; Michael Jones, Lansing; G. Ronald Bates Jr., Gregory Beck, and Kevin Reardon, Leavenworth; and Lois Meadows, Tonganoxie.

Kansas District Map

Find a District Court