6th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for district judge vacancies

TOPEKA—The 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 8 a.m. Wednesday, October 5, to interview nominees to fill two new district judge positions.  
 
The district judge positions were 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 6th Judicial District is composed of Miami, Linn, and Bourbon counties.  
 
Interview schedule  
 
8:30 a.m.  
 
Terra Tecchio, Fort Scott, Bourbon County contract attorney, criminal defense 
 
9 a.m.  
 
Richard Fisher Jr., Osawatomie, attorney  
 
9:30 a.m.  
 
Jacklyn Pasquale Paletta, Paola, partner, Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho PLC 

10:15 a.m.  

Valorie Leblanc, Fort Scott, district magistrate judge, 6th Judicial District  

10:45 a.m.  

Elizabeth Sweeney-Reeder, Paola, Miami County attorney 

12:15 p.m.  

Shelley Woodard, Lawrence, Miami County counselor  

12:45 p.m.  

Amy Coppola Crawford, Milford, district magistrate judge, 8th Judicial District 
 
Public access  
 
Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at:  
 
Linn County Justice Center  
308 Main Street 
Mound City, KS 66056  

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  
 
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 qualifications and residency requirements. 
 
The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint. 
 
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 6th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Patton Apple, Louisburg; Mark McCoy and Zackery Reynolds, Fort Scott; Todd Schneider, Mound City; Mary Stephenson, Paola; and Ronald Wood, Louisburg.