3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for district judge vacancy

TOPEKA — The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Friday, February 23, at the Shawnee County District Court courthouse, to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created by the March 31 retirement of Judge Larry D. Hendricks.

The 3rd Judicial District is composed of Shawnee County. Interviews are open to the public.

The nominees are scheduled to be interviewed as follows:

• 9 a.m. Jessica Domme

• 9:15 a.m. Darian Dernovish

• 9:30 a.m. Steven Roth

• 9:45 a.m. Cheryl Whelan

• 10 a.m. Kelly Trussell

• 10:15 a.m. break

• 10:30 a.m. Brett Berry

• 10:45 a.m. Mark Dodd

• 11 a.m. Thomas Luedke

• 11:15 a.m. David Steed

• 11:30 a.m. Dennis Jones

• 11:45 a.m. lunch break

• 12:15 p.m. Richard Billings

• 12:30 p.m. Jennifer Martin Smith

• 12:45 p.m. Jay Befort

• 1 p.m. John-Paul Washburn

The commission will select from three to five 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 the judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office.

The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Luckert 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.