TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge vacancy in Finney County created by Judge Ricklin Pierce's January 13 retirement.
The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.
Justice Dan Biles, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 25th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.
Eligibility requirements
A nominee for district judge 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.
Nomination process
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerks of the district courts in Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties; the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at www.kscourts.org/judges/Become-a-Judge.
One original and 14 copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters must be submitted by noon Monday, February 22, to:
William I. Heydman
Commission Secretary
1519 E Fulton Terrace
P.O. Box 2010
Garden City, KS 67846
The nominating commission will convene by videoconference to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Friday, March 12.
Interviews are open to the public and will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel.
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, preferably 10 working days before the meeting date:
ADA Coordinator
reimere@kscourts.org
785-296-2256
TTY at 711
Nominees to governor
The nominating commission will interview nominees and then select from three to five people whose names will be 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.
If there are not three nominees who reside in the judicial district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the district.
Term of office
After serving one year in office, the 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 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Biles as the nonvoting chair; Lucille Douglass, William Heydman, John Lindner, Zachary Schultz, and Thomas Walker, Garden City; Gene Gaede, Holcomb; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Rita Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp, Scott City; Robert Gale Jr. and Timothy Kohart, Syracuse; and Deborah Kuttler, Tribune.