TOPEKA—The 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet by videoconference at noon Thursday, September 29, to set the schedule for filling a new district magistrate judge position.  
 
The new district magistrate judge position was among several 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 9th Judicial District is composed of Harvey and McPherson counties.  

Public access  
 
The meeting is open to the public. It will take place via videoconference and will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel.  

To comment:  

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:  
 
ADA Coordinator  
ADA@kscourts.org  
785-296-2256  
TTY at 711  
 
District magistrate judge appointment process  
 
To be considered for district magistrate judge, a nominee must be: 

• a resident of 9th Judicial District 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. 

The nominating commission selects whom to appoint to fill magistrate judge positions. 
 
Term of office  
 
After serving one year in office, a 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 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Melissa Standridge as the nonvoting chair; Glen Snell of Lindsborg; Thomas Adrian, George “Chip” Westfall, Jana McKinney, and John Robb, all of Newton; and David O’Dell, Brian Bina, and Ann Elliott, all of McPherson.