10th Judicial District Nomination Commission seeks nominees for one district judge and two district magistrate judge vacancies

TOPEKA—The 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill one district judge vacancy and two district magistrate judge vacancies in Johnson County.

The vacancies are due to three retirements. District Judge Paul Gurney will retire September 30, District Magistrate Judge Daniel Vokins will retire December 9, and District Magistrate Judge James Phelan will retire December 31.

The 10th Judicial District is composed of Johnson County.

Justice Evelyn Wilson, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 10th Judicial District, said individuals may apply or be nominated for the position. 

District judge appointment process

To be considered for district judge, a nominee 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.

The nominating commission selects three to five people whose names are 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.

District magistrate judge appointment process

To be considered for district magistrate judge, a nominee must be:

• a resident of Johnson 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.

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

Nomination process

NOTE: The official nomination forms for district judge and district magistrate judge have been updated since the last vacancies.

Nominations must be accompanied by the applicable nomination form available from the clerk of the Johnson County District Court, the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, online at www.kscourts.org/judges/Become-a-Judge.

One original and 15 copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters must be delivered by noon Friday, October 14, to:

Kevin Moriarty, secretary
10th Judicial District Nominating Commission
7007 College Blvd., Ste. 430
Overland Park, KS 66211

If there are not sufficient nominees who reside in the judicial district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the district.

Public interviews

The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9 a.m. November 17 and 18, at the Johnson County Courthouse, 150 W Santa Fe St. 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, a 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 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Thomas Bath and Samuel Turner Sr., Leawood; James A.C. Griffith, Stephene Moore, and Annabeth Surbaugh, Lenexa; Laura McConwell, Mission; Doug Brownlee, District Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan, and Stephen Tatum, Olathe; and Rick Guinn, Kevin Moriarty, Greg Musil, and Chris Talarico, Overland Park.

Find out more about the nominating commission at www.jocojnc.org/.