6th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for district judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, January 26, 2022, to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created when Judge Terri Johnson retired December 13.  

The 6th Judicial District is composed of Miami, Linn, and Bourbon Counties. 

Interview schedule 

9:30 a.m.  
Andrea Eram Purvis, Abilene, Dickinson County Attorney 

10:15 a.m.  
Gayla Mason, Fort Scott, attorney 

11:15 a.m.  
Jonathon Lewis Noble, Topeka, public defender 

12:30 p.m.  
Kristen Kandt, Kansas City, Missouri, attorney 

1:15 p.m.  
Terra Tecchio-Baseley, Fort Scott, attorney 

2 p.m.  
Valerie Leblanc, Fort Scott, district magistrate judge, 6th Judicial District 

Public interviews 

Interviews are open to the public. They will take place in the main courtroom of the Linn County Courthouse.  

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 judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office. 

Nominees to the governor 

The nominating commission will interview nominees and then select 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. 

Term of office 

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. 

Nominating commission 

The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Patton Apple, Louisburg; Richard Fisher, Jr., Osawatomie; Alan Hurt, Mound City; Mark McCoy, Fort Scott; Zackery Reynolds, Fort Scott; and Ronald Wood, Louisburg.