TOPEKA—The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in McPherson County created by Judge Ellen Neufeld’s March 20 retirement.
The 9th Judicial District is composed of McPherson and Harvey counties.
Justice Melissa Standridge, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 9th Judicial District, said nominees can apply or be nominated, but it must be on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.
District magistrate judge appointment process
To be considered for district magistrate judge, a nominee must be:
-
a resident of McPherson 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 selects whom to appoint to fill magistrate judge positions.
Nomination process
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Harvey or McPherson counties, the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at www.kscourts.org/judges.html.
Nominations may be submitted electronically or by paper copy. The deadline to submit a nomination with supporting documents is noon Thursday, March 9.
Electronic submissions can be sent to jdnc.nominationform@kscourts.org. Paper submissions require one original and ten copies to be sent to:
Office of Justice Melissa Standridge
ATTN: Shelby Hardtarfer
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th Ave., Room 389
Topeka KS 66612
Public interviews
The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 6, at 122 W. Marlin, 1st floor, in McPherson.
Interviews are open to the public.
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, preferably 10 working days before the meeting date:
ADA Coordinator
ADA@kscourts.org
785-296-2256
TTY at 711
Term of office
After serving one year in office, the new magistrate 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 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Melissa Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Glen Snell of Lindsborg; Thomas Adrian, George “Chip” Westfall, Jana McKinney, and John Robb, of Newton; and David O'Dell, Brian Bina, and Ann Elliott, of McPherson.