30th Judicial District Nomination Commission announces interview schedule ...

TOPEKA—The 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 9 a.m. Thursday, December 19, to interview nominees to fill a district judge vacancy. 

Although the principal office for the position will likely be Sumner County, the district judge filling this position may maintain residency in any of the 30th Judicial District counties. The 30th Judicial District is composed of Barber, Harper, Kingman, Pratt, and Sumner counties.

Interview schedule

9:30 a.m.
Scott McPherson, Anthony, district magistrate judge, Harper County

10 a.m.
Shawn DeJarnett, Mayfield, attorney, city of Wellington, DeJarnett Law Office, L.L.C., municipal court judge for cities of Caldwell and Belle Plaine, judge pro tem for city of Derby

10:30 a.m.
Break

10:45 a.m.
Samuel Brady Short, Wellington, attorney, Renn & Short, LLC, city of Oxford

11:15 a.m.
Christopher Randle, Clearwater, senior attorney, Penner Lowe Law Group

11:45 a.m.
Lunch

12:15 p.m.
Shannon Kelly, Peck, attorney, Kelly Law Offices

12:45 p.m.
Candace Lattin, Medicine Lodge, district magistrate judge, Barber County, judge for city of Medicine Lodge

Public access

Interviews will take place at:

The Hangar
126 N. Main St.
Kingman, Kansas 67068

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

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for district judge, a nominee 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 judicial district at the time of taking office and while holding office.

The nominating commission selects three to five people whose names are 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 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 30th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Melissa Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Troy Dierking, Caldwell; Sidney Burkholder, Harper; Lance Dixon and Gregory Graffman, Kingman; Justin Goodno, Kiowa; Hannah Brass, Medicine Lodge; Tracey Beverlin and Jason Kirk Roberts, Pratt; and Douglass Pfalzgraf, Wellington.