11th Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for district magistrate judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday, January 27, to interview nominees to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy created by Judge Samuel Marsh’s December 31 retirement.  

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

Public interviews  

Interviews are open to the public. They will take place in the Cherokee County Courthouse. 

The interview schedule will be announced once it’s finalized.  

The nominees are: 

• John Bullard, Galena, municipal judge for Columbus and Fort Scott 

• Douglas Steele, Columbus, solo practitioner 

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:  

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

Eligibility requirements  

Kansas law requires that this district magistrate judge be:  

• a resident of Cherokee County at the time of taking office and while holding office;  

• a graduate of a high school, a secondary school, or the equivalent; and  

• either a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas or able to pass an examination to become certified within 18 months.  

Term of office  

After serving one year in office, the magistrate 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 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Sara Beezley, Pittsburg; James Cook, Parsons; William Shane Adamson, Parsons; John Lehman, Girard; Oliver Kent Lynch, Baxter Springs; and Angela Rippel, Scammon.