11th Judicial District Nominating Commission submits nominees for district judge vacancy in Crawford County

TOPEKA — The 11th Judicial Nominating Commission has sent the names of three nominees for district judge to Gov. Sam Brownback, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy created by the December 18, 2017, retirement of Chief Judge A.J. Wachter.

The three nominees are:

• Mary Jennifer Brunetti, Frontenac, who is in private practice

• Judge Samuel Joseph Marsh, Columbus, who is a Cherokee County district magistrate judge

• Frederick Ray Smith, Farlington, who is in private practice and is Pittsburg Municipal Court judge and city attorney for Arma

Nominees 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 Crawford County at the time of taking office and while holding office.

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

The 11th Judicial District Nomination Commission consists of Justice Lee A. Johnson of the Kansas Supreme Court as the nonvoting chair; District Judge Oliver K. Lynch and Charles W. Sweeton, Baxter Springs; John W. Lehman, Girard; Richard G. Tucker and James K. Cook, Parsons; and Sara S. Beezley, Pittsburg.