9th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Friday, September 10, to interview four nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created by Chief Judge Joe Dickinson’s September 18 retirement.

The 9th Judicial District is composed of Harvey and McPherson counties

Public interviews

The nominating commission will convene via videoconference to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Friday, September 10, and the meeting will broadcast live on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel.

To comment:

call 1-877-400-9499; and
enter conference code 2199381974.

Interview schedule

9:15 a.m.

Michael Llamas, self-employed with Llamas Law, LLC; city prosecutor in Hesston; and municipal court judge in the cities of Walton, Burrton, and Florence, Newton

9:45 a.m.

David “Justin” Bravi, of Bravi Law, LLC, and deputy public defender with the Reno County Public Defender Office, McPherson

10:30 a.m.

Matthew “Levi” Morris, Barton County Attorney, Great Bend

11 a.m.

Jason Lane, county attorney, Harvey County Attorney’s Office, Newton

ADA accommodation

Any person with a disability who requires accommodation to access the nominating commission meeting should notify the judicial branch ADA coordinator as early as possible, preferably 10 working days before the meeting date:

ADA Coordinator
ADA@kscourts.org
785-296-2256
TTY at 711

Eligibility requirements

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 9th Judicial District at the time of taking office and while holding office. 

Nominees to governor

The nominating commission interviews nominees and then selects from three to five people whose names will be submitted to the governor to fill the position according to statutory qualification and residency requirements. The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint.

If there are not three nominees who reside in the judicial district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the district.

Terms of office

After serving one year in office, the new district 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.

Nominating commission

The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Melissa Taylor Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Thomas  Adrian, George “Chip” Westfall, Jana McKinney, and John  Robb, all of Newton; Michael  Androes, Harris  Terry, and Ann Elliott, all of McPherson; and Amie Bauer of Lindsborg.