1st Judicial District Nominating Commission sends the names of four nominees for two district judge positions to governor

TOPEKA—The 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of four nominees who are eligible to fill either of two district judge positions to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the positions.  
 
One position was created by Judge Martin Asher's July 8 retirement. The other was among the positions certified by Supreme Court Administrative Order 2022-JA-020 after the Kansas Legislature passed and the governor signed 2022 House Substitute for Substitute for Senate Bill No. 267 to fund them.  
 
The 1st Judicial District is composed of Atchison and Leavenworth counties. 
 
The nominees are:  

• John Kurth, Atchison, Kurth law Office Inc. P.A.; Kickapoo, Sac and Fox, and Iowa tribal prosecutor  
   

• Clinton Lee, Olathe, The Law Office of Clinton W. Lee  
   

• Rhonda Levinson, Kansas City, attorney, Perry & Trent LLC  
   

• Geoffrey Sonntag, Tonganoxie, public defender, City of Leavenworth; private practice, Sonntag Law Office
   

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

 
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 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric S. Rosen as the nonvoting chair; Robert Bednar, Julia Clem, and Rosemary Nies, Atchison; Michael Jones, Lansing; G. Ronald Bates Jr., Gregory Beck, and Kevin Reardon, Leavenworth; and Lois Meadows, Tonganoxie.