TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in Bourbon County created by Judge Valorie Leblanc’s June 9 resignation.
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
A nominee for district magistrate judge must be:
-
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 magistrate judge positions.
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, June 16. No documents will be accepted 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 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 10 a.m. Monday, August 7, at the Bourbon 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, 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.