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TOPEKA—The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge vacancy in Labette County created by the January 2 retirement of Judge Jeffry Jack.

The 11th Judicial District is composed of Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties.

Justice Caleb Stegall, the Supreme Court's temporary departmental justice responsible for the 11th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.

A nominee 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.

Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerks of the district courts in Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties; the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center; or the Kansas judicial branch website.

One original and six copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters must be submitted by noon Monday, December 16, to:

Justice Caleb Stegall
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th Ave.
Topeka KS 66612

The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees Friday, January 10, 2020. Interviews are open to the public. 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.

After serving one year in office, the new judge must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the incumbent will serve a four-year term.

The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Stegall as the temporary, nonvoting chair; District Judge Oliver Lynch, Baxter Springs; John Lehman, Girard; James Cook and David Markham, Parsons; Sara Beezley, Pittsburg; and Angela Rippel, Scammon.

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