Sixth Judicial District seeks judge nominees

A nominating commission charged with naming candidates to fill a district judge vacancy in the Sixth Judicial District, which includes Bourbon, Linn and Miami counties, has issued a request for assistance from the public, according to the Office of Judicial Administration in Topeka.

The seven-member commission is responsible for submitting the names of two or three nominees to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for the vacancy that will be created by the retirement on Oct. 31 of District Judge Gerald Hart of Fort Scott.

"The nominating commission is especially interested in receiving recommendations of suggested nominees to fill the vacancy from the general public," departmental justice Donald Allegrucci said.

Kansas statutes require that a judge be a resident of the district in which he or she is selected; be at least 30 years of age; active in the practice of law for at least five years; and be admitted to the practice of law within the state of Kansas.

Suggested nominees are requested to complete questionnaires for the position. Completed forms should be returned to Commission Secretary Larry Nuss, P.O. Box 630, Fort Scott, 66701, no later than Oct. 6. The forms are available in the office of the Clerk of the District Court in each of the counties in the Sixth Judicial District.

The nominating commission will convene at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 20 in the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Ave., to interview suggested nominees. The meeting will be open to the public; however, the commission has the authority to adjourn to executive session to discuss personal traits of any nominee.

The law requires that the commission submit at least two names, but not more than three, to Sebelius, who may appoint any of the suggested nominees.

Notices of the vacancy are being mailed to every attorney in this judicial district by the chairman of the commission.

The Sixth Judicial District Nominating Commission includes Allegrucci as the non-voting chairman; Ronald Wood, Overland Park; Richard Fisher, Jr., Osawatomie; Larry Nuss, Fort Scott; Randall Dawson, Mound City; Blake Heid, Paola; and Ronald Wood, Fort Scott.