1st Judicial District Nominating Commission sends names of three nominees for district judge to governor

TOPEKA—The 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of three nominees for district judge to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the position.

The vacancy was created when Chief Judge David King retired January 1.

The 1st Judicial District is composed of Atchison and Leavenworth counties.

The nominees are:

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

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

• Andrew Werring, Atchison, partner, Farris, Fresh & Werring Law Office, LLC

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 statutory qualification and residency requirements. 

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.