Finalists named for Shawnee County judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The names of three attorneys were submitted to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius today as nominees to fill a vacancy on the Shawnee County District Court that was created when former Chief Judge Marla Luckert was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court.

Nominees include Jill A. Michaux, Susana L. Valdovinos, and Jean M. Schmidt. The governor will have 30 days from today in which to make the appointment. The three are among 17 persons who submitted their names to the Shawnee County Third Judicial District Nominating Commission. The commission conducted interviews of the 17 Tuesday.

Michaux has been in the private practice of law for 21 years in the firm of Neis & Michaux, P.A. During her practice, she has served as a judge of the Rossville Municipal Court and as a pro tem judge in Shawnee County District Court. She is a 1982 graduate of the Washburn University School of Law and a 1977 graduate of the University of Kansas.

Schmidt is presently senior assistant district attorney in the family law division of the Shawnee County district attorney's office. Prior to joining the district attorney's office in 2001, she worked in the Kansas Insurance Department where she was director of the department's fraud unit for three years. Schmidt began her legal career with the Legal Aid Society in 1982 and has been in various public attorney positions since then. She is a 1982 graduate of the Washburn University School of Law and a 1977 graduate of Bethel College, North Newton.

Valdovinos is currently associate director of the Office of Affirmative Action for Kansas State University, a position she has held since 2000. From 1993 to 2000, she served as assistant county counselor in Shawnee County and before that taught law at various law schools. She is a 1988 graduate of the Washburn University School of Law and a 1982 graduate of the University of Kansas, where she received a MA degree in human development and family life. She is a 1980 graduate of the National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.