3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for two district magistrate judge vacancies

TOPEKA— The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, to interview nominees to fill two district magistrate judge vacancies. 
The new district magistrate judge positions were certified by 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 3rd Judicial District is Shawnee County. 
 
Public interviews    
 
Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at: 
  
Shawnee County Courthouse 
200 SE 7th St. 
Topeka, KS 
  
The interview schedule will be announced once it’s finalized.   
 
The nominees: 

• Kaitlin Alegria, Topeka, development director-School of Law, Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation  

• Kevin Brinker, Berryton, lieutenant, Kansas Highway Patrol   

• JaLynn Copp, Topeka 

• Dennis Jones, Topeka, district judge pro tem, 3rd Judicial District   

• Anson Tullis, Topeka, staff attorney, Kansas Legal Services 

• Christopher Turner, Topeka, director of enforcement data and judicial outreach, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance 

• Vicki Yost, Topeka, senior paralegal, City of Topeka 

• Vicki Zielinksi, Topeka, licensed practical nurse, U.S.D. 501 

 
 
The nominating commission will convene by telephone conference at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, to review nominations.  
The meeting is open to the public. To listen:    

• call 1-866-705-2554; and   

• enter conference code 895421. 

 
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  
 
Term of office  
 
After serving one year in office, a 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 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Caleb Stegall as the nonvoting chair; Toby McCullough, Rossville; and Whitney Casement, Thomas Lemon, Randall Phillips, Rebecca Sanders, and Eric Stafford, Topeka.