4th Judicial District Nominating Commission sends candidate names to governor

TOPEKA—The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission sent the names of two candidates for district court judge to Gov. Sam Brownback, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of District Court Judge Thomas H. Sachse.

The two candidates are:

• Brandon Lance Jones, who currently is Anderson County Attorney and Osage County Attorney. His past experience includes working as county counselor/administrator with the Osage County Attorney’s Office, as special assistant attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, assistant district attorney with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, adjunct professor with the Neosho County Community College, and assistant county attorney with the Franklin County Attorney’s Office. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law.

• Douglas Paul Witteman, who currently is Coffey County Attorney. His past experience includes working in private practice as a principle attorney for the law firm Patterson, Nelson, Nolla & Witteman, L.C., and as an associate attorney with Hinkle, Eberhart & Elkouri, L.L.C., both of Wichita. He is a graduate of Washburn University School of Law.

Before selecting two applicants to recommend to the governor of the four who applied, the nominating commission reviewed each applicant’s qualifications in interviews that were open to the public.

Kansas law requires the commission to submit at least two names, but not more than three, to the governor, who will choose one to appoint.

A judge must be a resident of the district, be at least 30 years old, have actively practiced law for at least five years, and be admitted to practice law in Kansas.

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric Rosen as the nonvoting chair; and James R. Campbell, Burlington; Sara E. Caylor, Ottawa; Craig E. Cole, Garnett; Thomas B. DeBaun, Osage City; Forrest A. Lowry, Ottawa; Eugene E. Highberger, Westphalia; Janet C. Walsh, Lyndon; and Timothy A. Sipe, Waverly.