11th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for district magistrate judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 10 a.m. Thursday, September 22, to interview nominees for the new district magistrate judge position in Crawford County.  

The new magistrate judge position was among several certified by Supreme Court Administrative Order 2022-JA-020 after the Kansas Legislature passed and the governor signed 2022 House Substitute for Substitute for Senate Bill No. 267 to fund them. 

The 11th Judicial District is composed of Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties. 
 
Interview schedule 
 
10:30 a.m. 

Elaine Bradshaw, Pittsburg, assistant to chief judge, 11th Judicial District 

10:50 a.m. 

Michael Reese, Girard, sheriff deputy, Crawford County Sherriff Department 

11:10 a.m. 

Joe Gordon Gregory, Pittsburg, attorney, Wilbert and Towner P.A., and municipal judge, Frontenac City Court. 

Public comment will be accepted before the interviews begin at 10:30 a.m. 

Public access  

Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at: 

Judicial Center 

Jury assembly room 

602 N Locust 

Pittsburg, KS 66762 

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 magistrate judge must be: 

• a resident of Crawford County at the time of taking office and while holding office; 

• a graduate of a high school, a secondary school, or the equivalent; and 

• either a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas or able to pass an examination to become certified within 18 months. 

The nominating commission seeks nominations and then meets to interview nominees. Interviews are open to the public. The commission will then appoint a district magistrate judge.  
 
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 and William Shane Adamson, Parsons; John Lehman, Girard; Oliver Lynch, Baxter Springs; and Angela Rippel, Scammon.