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 July 31 retirement of Judge Joseph Johnson.

The 3rd Judicial District is composed of Shawnee County.

The commission interviewed 16 nominees May 17.

The three nominees are:

• Darian Dernovish, general counsel to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

• Penny Moylan, a deputy disciplinary administrator for the Kansas Supreme Court's Office of the Disciplinary Administrator.

• Kelly Trussell, an attorney with Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe, Topeka.

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 Luckert of the Kansas Supreme Court as the nonvoting chair; Terry Beck, Daniel Crow, Thomas Lemon, Jolene Miller, and Eric Stafford, all of Topeka; and Toby McCullough of Rossville.