9th Judicial District Nominating Commission to interview nominees for district magistrate judge position

TOPEKA—The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 6, to interview nominees 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. 
  
Public access   

Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at:   
  
122 W. Marlin 
1st floor   
McPherson, KS   
  
The interview schedule will be announced once it’s finalized.   
  
The nominees are:   

• Kara Ayers, Hutchinson, Spanish teacher, Valley Center High School 

• Amanda Faber, McPherson, chief deputy county attorney, McPherson County Attorney’s Office 

• Melinda McElheny, Lindsborg, attorney and owner, Murphy’s Law LLC, and adjunct professor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law 

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   
  
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. 
 
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 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.