TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of five nominees to fill a district judge vacancy in Finney County to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the position.
 
The vacancy will be created when District Judge Christopher Sanders retires January 4.

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

• Lara K. Blake Bors, Garden City, president and attorney, Bors Law, P.A.

• Natalie K. Morlock, Dodge City, attorney, Natalie K. Randall, Attorney at Law, LLC

• Susan L. Hillier Richmeier, Garden City, county attorney, Finney County

• Brian R. Sherwood, Garden City, assistant county attorney, Finney County

• Nicholas C. Vrana, Garden City, deputy county attorney, Finney County

Eligibility requirements
 
To be considered for a 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.

Nominating commission

The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Dan Biles as the nonvoting chair; William Heydman, secretary, Tomas Ellis, Walker Frey, John Lindner, and Zachary Schultz, Garden City; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Ann Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp and Ashley Jackson, Scott City; Robert Gale and Megan Larkin, Syracuse; and Joyce Huddleston, Tribune.