TOPEKA—The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet Thursday May 26, at the conclusion of the district judge interviews, to set the schedule to fill two district magistrate judge positions.

The new district magistrate judge positions were certified by Administrative Order 2022-JA-020 after the Kansas Legislature passed and the governor signed 2022 House Substitute for Substitute for Senate Bill No. 267 to fund them.

The 3rd Judicial District is Shawnee County.
 
Public access  
 
The meeting is open to the public. It will take place at:
 
Shawnee County Courthouse
200 SE 7th St.
Topeka, KS.  
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  
 
Kansas law requires that a district magistrate judge be:  

• a resident of the county at the time of taking office and while holding office;  

• a graduate of a high school, a secondary school, or the equivalent; and  

• either a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas or able to pass an examination to become certified within 18 months. 

 
Term of office  

After serving one year in office, the 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.  

Nominating commission  
 
The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Caleb Stegall as the nonvoting chair; Toby McCullough, Rossville; and Whitney Casement, Thomas Lemon, Randall Phillips, Rebecca Sanders, and Eric Stafford, Topeka.