4th Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for district judge vacancy

TOPEKA — The 4th Judicial Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Thursday, December 7, in the Coffey County Courthouse, Burlington, to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy in Coffey County created by the November 30 retirement of Chief Judge Phillip M. Fromme.

Interviews are open to the public. The 4th Judicial District is composed of Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties.

The nominees are:

• Samuel R. Feather, Topeka

• Meghan K. Morgan, Burlington

• Darrel L. Smith, Emporia

• Taylor J. Wine, Lyndon

The commission will select at least three nominees whose names will be submitted to the governor to fill the position according to statutory qualification and residency requirements. If there are not three nominees who reside in the district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the judicial district. The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint.

Nominees for district judge must be:

• at least 30 years old;

• a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least five years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school; and

• a resident of Coffey County at the time of taking office and while holding office.

The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric Rosen of the Kansas Supreme Court as the nonvoting chair; James R. Campbell and Jim H. Dale, both of Burlington; Craig E. Cole of Garnett; Janet C. Walsh of Lyndon; Thomas B. DeBaun of Osage City; Forrest A. Lowry of Ottawa; and Eugene E. Highberger of Westphalia.