TOPEKA—The 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene by videoconference December 9 to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created by Judge Thomas Foster's November 29 retirement.
The 10th Judicial District is composed of Johnson County.
Public interviews
The nominating commission will convene by videoconference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, December 9, and recess for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. The commission originally planned to interview nominees in person.
The interviews are open to the public and will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel.
Public comment will be accepted shortly after the commission convenes. To comment:
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
Interview schedule
9 a.m.
Michael Frank McCulloch, Olathe, chief public defender, 10th Judicial District Public Defender Office
9:30 a.m.
Michael Richard-Tel Parrett, Shawnee, lawyer, Law Offices of Tel Parrett
10 a.m.
Krishnan Christopher Jayaram, Overland Park, lawyer at Horn Aylward & Bandy
10:30 a.m.
Kevin Breer, Westwood, managing member, Breer Law Firm
11 a.m.
Vanessa Riebli, Olathe, section chief, Johnson County District Attorney’s Office
11:30 a.m.
Joshua Allen, Prairie Village, city prosecutor for several cities
1 p.m.
Jenifer Ashford, Olathe, district magistrate judge, 10th Judicial District
Eligibility requirements
Nominees 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.
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 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Thomas Bath, John Parisi, and Samuel Turner Sr., Leawood; Joe Beveridge, Stephene Moore, and Annabeth Surbaugh, Lenexa; Laura McConwell, Mission; Doug Brownlee, James Griffith, and Stephen Tatum, Olathe; Rick Guinn, Kevin Moriarty, and Greg Musil, Overland Park; and Josie Herrera, Shawnee.