11th Judicial District Nominating Commission seeks nominees for district judge vacancy

TOPEKA—The 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district judge vacancy created when Judge Oliver Kent Lynch retires August 1, 2021.
 
The 11th Judicial District is composed of Cherokee, Crawford, and Labette counties.
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 11th Judicial District, said individuals can apply or be nominated, but nominations must come on a nomination form and include the nominee's signature.
 
Eligibility requirements
 
A nominee 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 11th judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office.

Nomination process
 
Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Cherokee County (Columbus), Crawford County (Girard and Pittsburg), and Labette County (Oswego and Parsons). In addition, application forms are available from the clerk of the appellate courts in the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka.
 
One original and six copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters must be submitted by noon Friday, August 27, 2021 to:
 
Justice Evelyn Wilson
Kansas Judicial Center
301 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1507
 
Public interviews

The nominating commission will convene at 9 a.m. Tuesday, October 12, 2021, with interviews starting at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be in the Cherokee County Courthouse in Columbus. Interviews are open to the public.

Accommodation

Any person with a disability who requires accommodation to access the nominating commission meetings 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
 
Nominees to governor
 
The nominating commission will interview nominees and then select 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.
 
Term of office
 
After serving one year in office, the 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 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Evelyn Wilson as the nonvoting chair; Sara Beezley, Pittsburg; James Cook, Parsons; Stephen Jones, Altamont; John Lehman, Girard; Judge Oliver Lynch, Baxter Springs; and Angela Rippel, Scammon