TOPEKA—The Supreme Court Nominating Commission has set noon, October 16, as the deadline for persons to apply for a vacancy on the Supreme Court that will be created by the January 8, 2007, retirement of Justice Donald L. Allegrucci.
Justice Allegrucci is retiring pursuant to Kansas statutes that specify members of the Supreme Court retire at age 70 or at the end of the six-year term in which they become 70 years old. Justice Allegrucci’s 70th birthday will be September 19th.
The nine-member Nominating Commission will conduct interviews November 7-8th and submit the names to the governor on November 9th. The governor will have 60 days in which to make the appointment. Application forms for the position are available in each of the offices of the clerk of district court, plus the office of the Clerk of the Appellate Courts.
The Nominating Commission consists of one lawyer and one non-lawyer from each of the state’s four congressional districts, plus a lawyer member who is elected statewide by registered attorneys. A justice must be at least 30 years of age and have engaged in the practice of law for at least 10 years.
Members of the Nominating Commission include Richard C. Hite, Wichita, chair; Kerry E. McQueen, Liberal, and Janet A. Juhnke, Salina, 1st Congressional District; Patricia E. Riley, Topeka, and Dale E. Cushinberry, Topeka, 2nd Congressional District; Thomas J. Bath Jr., Overland Park, and Vivien B. Jennings, Fairway, 3rd Congressional District, and Lee H. Woodard, Wichita, and David N. Farnsworth, Wichita, 4th Congressional District.
Justice Allegrucci was born in Pittsburg where he was graduated from Pittsburg State University with an AB degree in 1959. He was graduated from the Washburn University School of Law with a JD degree in 1963. Upon his admission to the bar, he entered into private practice from 1963 to 1982 in El Dorado and Pittsburg. His practice included serving as an assistant county attorney in El Dorado from 1963 to 1967 and as executive director of Mid-Kansas CAP Inc. from 1967-68. He also was an instructor of business and criminal law at Pittsburg State University from 1969 to 1972.
Justice Allegrucci was a member of the Democratic State Committee from 1974-1980 and served as a state senator from 1976-80. He was a Democratic candidate for the Fifth Congressional District in 1978. Gov. John Carlin appointed him to the Public Employee Relations Board in 1981 and as District Court Judge of the 11th District in 1982. He was appointed administrative judge of the 11th District by the Supreme Court in December 1983. While a district judge, Justice Allegrucci served as a member of the executive committee of the Kansas District Judges Association from 1982-1987, chairman of the KDJA Legislative Coordinating Committee from 1982-1986, and as a member of the Judicial Council Court Unification Advisory Committee from 1984-85.
He has attended the four-week general jurisdiction course of the National Judicial College, Reno, Nev. and the following American Academy of Judicial Education conferences: Conduct of a Trial, Judicial Writing, Hearsay, Evidence, and Judicial Administration. He is a member of the Kansas Bar Association. and served as former president and member of the Crawford and Butler County Bar Associations. He is a veteran of the Air Force and served on active and reserve duty from 1959-66. He was appointed by Gov. John Carlin to the Supreme Court in January 1987. He and his wife, Joyce Ann, have two sons, Scott David and Bowen Jay.