Two nominated for district judge

TOPEKA—The names of two attorneys were sent to Governor Sam Brownback today as nominees to fill a vacancy on the 30th Judicial District Court that was created by the January 3 retirement of Hon. Robert J. Schmisseur, Pratt.

Nominated were Candace R. Lattin, Iuka, and Francis E. Meisenheimer, Kingman. The governor will have 30 days in which to make the appointment. After that, the new judge will be on the next general election ballot after serving in office for one year for a vote on whether he or she should be retained for a four-year term. The nominations were delivered to the governor Thursday afternoon following interviews by the 30th Judicial Nominating Commission that were conducted in Pratt Thursday morning.

The 30th Judicial District includes Kingman, Barber, Harper, Sumner, and Pratt counties.

Lattin received her law degree from the Washburn University School of Law, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wichita State University, and an Associate of Science degree from Pratt Community Junior College.

She began her legal career in 1985 when she opened a private practice in Stafford. Since then, in addition to private practice, she has served as the Kiowa County Attorney, Pratt City Public Defender, Pratt County Public Defender, and served as municipal judge of Pawnee Rock before that position was discontinued in 2007.

Meisenheimer received his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1980, and his undergraduate degree with a B.S. in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 1977.

The current municipal judge for the City of Kingman, Meisenheimer also has been in private practice since 1986 following a six-year stint as an assistant Reno County Attorney. In addition to private practice, he is the school board attorney for West Kingman County USD No. 332, and Kingman County Counselor.