Kansas Courts

Kansas Court System Chart Appellate Court Contacts District Court Contacts You and the Courts History of Kansas Appellate Courts Kansas Supreme Court Justices Kansas Court of Appeal Judges Appellate Practice Handbook Photo Album Frequently Asked Questions

You and the Courts of Kansas - Becoming a Judge

The Supreme Court is Kansas's highest court. It consists of seven justices, each of whom is selected by the governor. He appoints from a list of three qualified individuals submitted to him by the Supreme Court Nomination Commission. After the first year in office, a justice is subject to a retention vote in the next general election. If a majority of electors votes to retain the justice, he or she remains in office for a term of six years. Justices are subject to a similar retention vote at the conclusion of each term.

The justice who is senior in terms of continuous service is designated by the Constitution as the chief justice, unless he or she declines or resigns the position. The chief justice exercises the administrative authority of the court.

The 12 Court of Appeals judges are selected in the same manner as Supreme Court justice but serve terms of four, rather than six, years. One of the 12 Court of Appeals judges is appointed chief judge of the Court of Appeals by the Supreme Court.

Judges of the district court are selected in one of two ways, either by merit selection and retention vote, or by partisan ballot. In some of the districts, the voters have approved nonpartisan merit selection of judges. In the other districts, judges run for office on a partisan ballot. Judges serve terms of four years.

In merit selection district, when a vacancy in a district judgeship occurs a judicial nominating commission interviews candidates and recommends two or three persons to the governor for consideration. The governor then appoints one of these as a judge to fill the vacancy. When there is a vacancy in a district magistrate judgeship, the district judicial nominating commission selects a candidate to fill the vacancy. Judicial nominating commissions are made up of lawyers and nonlawyers who live in the district.

Contents

• The Jury System
• Types of Courts
• Kansas Court System Chart
• Judges and Justices
• Becoming a Judge
• Clerk of the Supreme Court
• Reporter of the Supreme Court
• Judicial Administrator
• Trial Court Administration
• Conclusion
• Return to You and the Kansas Courts