TOPEKA—The 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene January 18 and 19 to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created when Chief Judge David King retires January 1.
The 1st Judicial District is composed of Atchison and Leavenworth counties.
Justice Eric S. Rosen, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 1st Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.
District judge appointment process
To be considered for district judge, a nominee must be:
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at least 30 years old;
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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
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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.
Nomination process
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Atchison and Leavenworth, clerk of the appellate courts in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at https://www.kscourts.org/judges/become-a-judge.html.
Nominations must be submitted by paper copy. The deadline to submit a nomination with supporting documents is noon Friday, January 6. No documents will be accepted digitally or by fax.
Paper submissions require one original and nine copies of the completed nomination form, with a like number of supporting documents, and one executed release form, to be sent to:
Ronald Bates Jr., secretary
1st Judicial District Nominating Commission
529 Delaware St
Leavenworth, KS 66048
Public interviews
The nominating commission will convene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 18, with interviews starting at 9 a.m. and continuing Thursday, January 19. Interviews will be in Courtroom 2 at the Leavenworth County Courthouse, 601 S 3rd St, Suite 3051. 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 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric S. Rosen as the nonvoting chair; Robert Bednar, Julia Clem, and Rosemary Nies, Atchison; Michael Jones, Lansing; G. Ronald Bates Jr., Gregory Beck, and Kevin Reardon, Leavenworth; and Lois Meadows, Tonganoxie.