TOPEKA—The  5th Judicial District Nominating Commission  has sent the names of three nominees for district judge to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the vacancy.
  
The vacancy will be created when Chief Judge Merlin Wheeler retires September 3. 
   
The 5th Judicial District is composed of Chase and Lyon counties.
 
The nominees are:

• Jeremy Dorsey, Emporia, legal counsel, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
   

• Douglas Jones, Cottonwood Falls, district magistrate judge, 5th Judicial District; and municipal court judge in Cottonwood Falls 
   

• Laura Miser, Emporia, assistant county attorney, Lyon County Attorney's Office

Eligibility requirements
 
Nominees for district judge 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 5th Judicial District at the time of taking office and while holding office.

Term of office
 
After serving one year in office, the new 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 5th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Supreme Court Justice Melissa Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Leigh Ann Crofoot of Cottonwood Falls; Greg Bachman, Michael Helbert, Deanne Korsak, and Robert Symmonds, of Emporia; Cynthia Hoedel of Matfield Green; Stephen Atherton of Olpe; and Charles Rayl of Strong City.