25th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for district magistrate vacancy

TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene by videoconference at 10 a.m. CST Friday, December 9, to interview a nominee for a district magistrate judge vacancy created by Judge Richard Hodson’s December 16 retirement.

Previously, the meeting and interview were scheduled to be in person. Now they are scheduled by videoconference.

The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.

Interview schedule

10:05 a.m. CST

Darrel L. Waters, Lakin, retired undersheriff, Kearny County Sheriff’s Office

Public access

The meeting will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel. 

Public comment concerning the applicant for the district magistrate judge position can be emailed to jdnc.nominationform@kscourts.org. The deadline to submit comment is noon Thursday, December 8.

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

To be considered for district magistrate judge, a nominee must be: 

• a resident of Kearney 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 magistrate judge positions.

Term of office

After serving one year in office, the new magistrate 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 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Dan Biles as the nonvoting chair; Jennifer Cunningham, Lucille Douglass, Walker Frey, John Lindner, and Zachary Schultz, Garden City; William Heydman, Holcomb; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Rita Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp, Scott City; Robert Gale Jr.; Megan Larkin, Syracuse; and Joyce Huddleston, Tribune.