Nominees sought for district magistrate judge vacancy in 25th Judicial District

TOPEKA, Kan. — The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission is seeking nominations to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in Hamilton County created by the resignation of Magistrate Judge Meghan Houtsma, effective May 1.

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

Justice Dan Biles, the Supreme Court departmental justice responsible for the 25th Judicial District, said nominees can apply or be nominated, but it must be on a nomination form and include the nominee’s signature.

A nominee for district magistrate judge must be:

• a graduate of a high school, a secondary school, or the equivalent.
• a resident of Hamilton County at the time of taking office and while holding office.
• 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.

Nominations must be accompanied by a nomination form available from the clerk of the district court in Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties; the clerk of the appellate courts at the Kansas Judicial Center; or the Kansas judicial branch website at www.kscourts.org under What’s New.

One original and 14 copies of the completed nomination form and supporting letters must be submitted by noon Monday, April 15, 2019, to:

William Heydman

Commission Secretary

1519 East Fulton Terrace

P.O. Box 2010

Garden City, KS 67846

The nominating commission will convene to interview nominees at 9 a.m. Mountain time on Friday, May 10, 2019, in the main courtroom of the Hamilton County Courthouse, Syracuse. Interviews are open to the public. The commission will then appoint a district magistrate judge.

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.

The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Biles as the nonvoting chair; Lucille Douglass, Gene Gaede, William Heydman, John Lindner, Zachary Schultz, and Thomas Walker, Garden City; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Ann Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp, Scott City; Robert Gale Jr. and Timothy Kohart, Syracuse; and Debbie Kuttler, Tribune.