25th Judicial District Nominating Commission sends names of three nominees for judge to governor

TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of three nominees for district judge to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy created by Judge Ricklin Pierce's January 13 retirement.

The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.

The nominees are:

• Kristi Cott, Garden City, private practice attorney;

• Brian Sherwood, Garden City, assistant Finney County attorney; and

• Timothy Woods, Garden City, Finney County district magistrate judge.

Eligibility requirements

A nominee for district judge must be:

• at least 30 years old;

• 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

• a resident of the judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office.

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 Justice Dan 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.