4th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees for district magistrate judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in Franklin County created by District Magistrate Judge Kevin Kimball’s March 1 retirement.

The 4th Judicial District is composed of Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties.

Justice Eric S. Rosen, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 4th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.

The annual salary for a district magistrate position in 2024 is $76,601. The annual salary is expected to increase by 25% on January 1, 2025.

Eligibility requirements

Kansas law requires that the district magistrate judge be:

• a resident of Franklin 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 given by the Supreme Court to become certified within 18 months.

Nomination process

Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Anderson, Coffey, Franklin, and Osage counties, the clerk of the appellate courts in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, or online at www.kscourts.org/judge/vacancies.

Completed nomination forms and supporting documents must be received by the commission secretary by noon Friday, March 1.

Submissions require one original and nine copies of the completed nomination form, a like number of supporting documents, and one executed release form to be delivered to:

Janet Walsh, Secretary
4th Judicial District Nominating Commission
704 Topeka Ave.
P.O. Box 487
Lyndon, KS 66451
 
Public interviews

A date to interview nominees will be scheduled later. Interviews are open to the public.
The commission selects who is appointed to fill the district magistrate judge vacancy.
 
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 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Eric S. Rosen as the nonvoting chair; Craig Cole, Garnett; Anthony Mersman, Greeley; Phyllis Gardner and Janet Walsh, Lyndon; Ianne Dickinson and Forrest Lowry, Ottawa; John Boyd, Pomona; and Timothy Johnson, Waverly.