6th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for district magistrate judge vacancy

The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 10 a.m. Monday, August 7, to interview nominees to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy created by Judge Valorie Leblanc’s June 9 resignation.

The 6th Judicial District is composed of Bourbon, Linn, and Miami counties.
 
Interview schedule
 
10:30 a.m.

Michael Hoyt, Fort Scott, contract paralegal, Smart Paralegal Services, Inc.

11 a.m.
 
Cara Bowen, Colony, legal assistant, Allen County Attorney’s Office
  
11:30 a.m.
 
Rhonda Cole, Fort Scott, clerk of the district court, Bourbon County
 
Public access
 
Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at: 
 
Bourbon County Courthouse
3rd floor
210 S National Ave.   
Fort Scott, KS 
 
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 magistrate judge appointment process

A nominee for district magistrate judge must be: 

• a resident of Bourbon 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.   

The nominating commission selects whom to appoint to fill district magistrate judge positions.
  
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.