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TOPEKA—The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a new district magistrate judge position in Harvey County. 

The district magistrate judge position was among several 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 9th Judicial District is composed of Harvey and McPherson counties.  

Justice Melissa Standridge, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 9th Judicial District, said nominees can apply or be nominated, but it must be on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.

Eligibility requirements

Kansas law requires that a district magistrate judge be:

  • a resident of Harvey 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 given by the Supreme Court to become certified within 18 months.

The nominating commission selects whom to appoint to fill magistrate judge positions.

Nomination process

Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Harvey or McPherson counties; the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at www.kscourts.org/judges/Become-a-Judge.

Nominations may be submitted electronically or on paper. Nominations must be received by noon Tuesday, November 1. 

Electronic submissions must include a completed and signed nomination form, signed and notarized authorization of release, and accompanying attachments, sent to jdnc.nominationform@kscourts.org

Paper submissions must include one original and ten copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters. Paper submissions are to be delivered to:

Office of Justice Melissa Standridge
ATTN: Shelby Hardtarfer
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th Ave., Room 389
Topeka, KS 66612-1507

Public interviews 

The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 8:30 a.m. Friday, December 9, in the Community Room of the Harvey County Courthouse in Newton. 

Interviews are open to the public. 

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, the new 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 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Melissa Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Glen Snell of Lindsborg; Thomas Adrian, George “Chip” Westfall, Jana McKinney, and John Robb, all of Newton; and David O’Dell, Brian Bina, and Ann Elliott, all of McPherson.

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