11th Judicial District Nominating Commission to meet October 5

TOPEKA—The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 5, via telephone conference to discuss interviewing candidates to fill a district judge vacancy.  

The vacancy is created by Judge Oliver Kent Lynch’s July 30 retirement. 

The commission will discuss whether the interviews scheduled October 12 should take place in person or by video conference. They will also finalize the interview schedule.  

The 11th Judicial District is composed of Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties. 

Public access 

The meeting is open to the public. To listen: 

call 1-877-400-9499; and 
enter conference code 2199381974. 

Accommodation 

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: 

ADA Coordinator 
ADA@kscourts.org
785-296-2256 
TTY at 711 

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. 

The nominating commission seeks nominations and then meets to interview nominees. Interviews are open to the public.

Nominees to governor 

The nominating commission will 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, a 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 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Sara Beezley, Pittsburg; James Cook, Parsons; William Shane Adamson, Parsons; John Lehman, Girard; Judge Oliver Lynch, Baxter Springs; and Angela Rippel, Scammon.