Nine apply to fill judge vacancy in 3rd Judicial District

TOPEKA—Nine people applied to fill a judge vacancy in the 3rd Judicial District created by the retirement of District Court Judge Jean M. Schmidt.

The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Monday, September 15, in the Shawnee County Courthouse, 200 SE 7th Street, Topeka, to interview applicants. Interviews are open to the public.

The nine applicants are:

• John Paul Dorr Washburn, who currently is in private practice with the Washburn Law Office, LLC. He also operates the Washburn Mediation Company. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Teresa L. Watson, who currently is in private practice as a partner with Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith, LLP. Her past experience includes working as a central research attorney for the Kansas Supreme Court, an attorney for Polsinelli, White, Vardeman & Shalton, PC, and as a research attorney for Judge J. Patrick Brazil on the Kansas Court of Appeals. She graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Derenda Jo Mitchell, who currently is director of the sexually violent predator unit with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Her past experience includes working as assistant counsel for the Kansas Livestock Association, assistant general counsel for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, legislative counsel for Governor Bill Graves, partner with Sloan Listrom Eisenbarth Sloan & Glassman, attorney with the Health Care Stabilization Fund, and staff attorney with the Kansas Insurance Department. She graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Joe Robert Little, who currently is a solo practitioner as Joe Little, PA. His past experience includes working in private practice as a partner with Miller & Little, LLC. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Jason E. Geier, who currently is senior assistant district attorney with the Office of the District Attorney, Third Judicial District of Kansas. His past experience includes working in private practice as a partner with Engel & Geier, PA, associate attorney with Cosgrove, Webb & Oman, and director of member services and in-house counsel for DevelopPro.com. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Kelly J. Trussell, who currently is in private practice with Robert V. Eye Law Office, district court judge pro tem for the Shawnee County District Court, adjunct professor of pretrial advocacy-civil litigation and intensive trial advocacy program with the Washburn University School of Law, and corporation president and managing partner with Kauffman & Eye. She graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Brett William Berry, who currently is judge pro tem with the Shawnee County District Court, general counsel for the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, and in private practice with The Law Office of Sarah J. Loquist. His past experience includes working as a staff attorney for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, as a general practitioner in private practice, as assistant district attorney with the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, as assistant county attorney for the Franklin County Attorney’s Office, as assistant city attorney for the City of Belle Plaine, and as assistant county attorney with the Sumner County Attorney’s Office. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Justin Louis McFarland, who currently is deputy general counsel and labor market information services director for the Kansas Department of Labor. His past experience includes working as an associate attorney with Frieden, Unrein & Forbes, LLP. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

• Lee James Davidson, who currently is assistant attorney general with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. His past experience includes working as a deputy county attorney with the Sumner County Attorney’s Office, and as a founding partner with Johnson, Thornburgh, Halleran & Davidson, LLC. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law.

Kansas law requires that a judge 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.

Kansas law also requires the commission to submit the names of at least two candidates, but not more than three, to the governor, who has 60 days to choose one to appoint.

The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Marla Luckert as the nonvoting chair; Toby L. McCullough, Rossville; and Daniel W. Crow, Terry E. Beck, Jolene C. Miller, Thomas G. Lemon, and W. Eric Stafford, all of Topeka.