25th Judicial District Nominating Commission announces interview schedule for judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Wednesday, September 8, to interview five nominees to fill a district judge vacancy created by Chief Judge Robert Frederick’s January 22, 2022 retirement.

The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and  Wichita counties.

Public interviews

The nominating commission will convene by videoconference, and the meeting will be broadcast live on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel.

Interview schedule

9:15 a.m.

Brian Sherwood, assistant Finney County attorney, Garden City

10 a.m.

Richard Marquez, an attorney with Lindner, Marquez & Koksal, Garden City

11 a.m.

Timothy Woods, district magistrate judge, Finney County, Garden City

11:45 a.m.

Christopher Velez, district magistrate judge, Hamilton County, Syracuse
1:30 p.m.

Nicholas Vrana, senior assistant district attorney, Douglas County Attorney’s Office, Gladstone, MO

ADA 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

Eligibility requirements

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 the 25th judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office. 

Nominees to governor

The nominating commission interviews nominees and then selects from three to five people whose names will be submitted to the governor to fill the position according to statutory qualification and residency requirements. The governor has 60 days after receiving the names to decide whom to appoint.

If there are not three nominees who reside in the judicial district who are deemed qualified by the commission, the commission may consider nominees who reside outside the district.

Terms of office

After serving one year in office, the new district 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 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Dan Biles as the nonvoting chair; William Heydman, Zachary Schultz, Marc Kliewer, John Lindner, Lucille Douglass, and Walker Frey, Garden City; Robert Gale, and Timothy Kohart, Syracuse; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Ann Wiles, Leoti; Debbi Kuttler, Tribune; and Christine Cupp, Scott City.