3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission submits nominees for district judge vacancy in Shawnee County

TOPEKA — The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of three nominees for district judge to Gov. Jeff Colyer, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy created by the March 31, 2018, retirement of Judge Larry D. Hendricks.

The 3rd Judicial District is composed of Shawnee County.

The three nominees are:

• Thomas G. Luedke, a partner at Bennett, Hendrix, and Luedke of Topeka.

• Steven M. Roth, Topeka, an administrative law judge for the Kansas Department of Labor.

• Kelly J. Trussell, Topeka, an attorney with Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire, and Jarboe of Topeka and a judge pro tem for Shawnee County District Court.

Nominees for district judge position 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 Shawnee County at the time of taking office and while holding office.

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