Nominating commission schedules interviews

TOPEKA—The Supreme Court Nominating Commission announced today that interviews to fill a vacancy on the Court of Appeals that was created by the October death of Chief Judge Richard Greene will be conducted on November 30th. The Commission will interview five new applicants, plus four others who were among those already interviewed for an earlier vacancy on the intermediate appellate court.

The Commission is considering 25 applicants for Chief Judge Greene’s position, which includes everyone who applied for a Court of Appeals vacancy being created by the January 14 retirement of Judge Christel E. Marquardt. Four of those applicants have been scheduled for a second interview, including attorneys Kathryn A. Gardner, Topeka; Stephen M. Kerwick, Eastborough; Caleb Stegall, Lawrence; and District Judge Anthony J. Powell, Wichita.

Being interviewed for the first time by the Nominating Commission will be Municipal Judge Bryce A. Abbott, Wichita; District Judge Daniel Cahill, Kansas City, KS; District Magistrate Judge Sheila P. Hochhauser, Manhattan; and attorneys Thomas D. Arnhold, Topeka; and Dennis D. Depew, Neodesha.

The Nominating Commission last week sent the names of three nominees to Gov. Sam Brownback for appointment to fill Judge Marquardt’s impending vacancy, including Asst. Johnson County District Attorney Steven J. Obermeier, Judge Kim R. Schroeder, Hugoton; and Teresa L. Watson, a Topeka attorney.

All Nominating Commission interviews are open to the public.  They are being conducted in the Harold R. Fatzer courtroom on the third floor of the Judicial Center, 301 SW 10th Ave., in Topeka.