TOPEKA—The 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene at 10 a.m. Friday, December 9, to interview a nominee for a district magistrate judge vacancy.  
 
The vacancy is created by Judge Richard Hodson’s December 16 retirement.  
 
The 25th Judicial District is composed of Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, and Wichita counties.  
 
Public access  
 
Interviews are open to the public. They will take place at:  
 
Kearny County Courthouse 
Main courtroom  
304 N Main St  
Lakin, KS  
 
The commission will interview Darrell Walters, a retired Kearny County Sheriff’s Department undersheriff from Lakin.  

The interview schedule will be announced once it’s finalized.  

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 Kearny 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.  

 
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 25th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice Dan Biles as the nonvoting chair; Jennifer Cunningham, Lucille Douglass, Walker Frey, John Lindner, and Zachary Schultz, Garden City; William Heydman, Holcomb; Ralph Goodnight, Lakin; Rita Wiles, Leoti; Christine Cupp, Scott City; Robert Gale Jr. and Megan Larkin, Syracuse; and Joyce Huddleston, Tribune.