TOPEKA—A nominating commission charged with naming candidates to fill a district judge vacancy in the 9th Judicial District has issued a request for assistance from the public.
The 9th Judicial District includes the counties of Harvey and McPherson.
The nine-member commission is responsible for submitting the names of two or three nominees to the Governor for the vacancy which was created by the retirement of District Judge Carl B. Anderson.
“The nominating commission is especially interested in receiving recommendations of suggested nominees to fill the vacancy from the general public. All of the residents of the 9th Judicial District are requested to consider this matter and the names of suggested nominees submitted by the general public will be welcomed by the commission,” according to Justice Carol A. Beier, departmental justice for the 9th Judicial District.
Kansas statutes require that a judge be a resident of the district in which selected, be at least 30 years of age, have been in the active practice of law for at least five years, and have been admitted to the practice of law within the State of Kansas.
Suggested nominees are requested to complete questionnaires for the position. The completed forms should be returned to the Office of the Clerk of Appellate Courts, Attn: Julie Meyer, 301 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, KS 66612, no later than noon, February 1, 2013. The forms are available in the office of the clerk of the district court in Harvey and McPherson Counties.
The nominating commission will convene at 9 a.m., February 22, in the McPherson County Courthouse, McPherson, to interview the suggested nominees. The meeting will be open to the public; however, the commission has the authority to adjourn to executive session to discuss personal traits of the suggested nominees.
The law requires that the commission submit at least two names, but not more than three, to the Governor who may appoint any of the suggested nominees.
Notices of the vacancy have been mailed to every attorney in this judicial district by the chairman of the commission.
The 9th district judicial nominating commission includes Justice Beier, as the nonvoting chair, and Thomas A. Adrian, Newton; William E. Gusenius, Lindsborg; John S. Robb, Newton; Robert W. Wise, McPherson; Michael L. Androes, McPherson; Ronnie L. Krehbiel, Burrton; Harris G. Terry, McPherson; and George Rogers, Newton.