12th Judicial District Nominating Commission sends names of four nominees for district judge to governor

TOPEKA—The 12th Judicial District Nominating Commission has sent the names of four nominees to fill a district judge vacancy in Cloud County to Gov. Laura Kelly, who has 60 days to decide who will fill the position.
 
This vacancy was created January 1 when District Magistrate Judge Guy Steier resigned. The Supreme Court then converted this district magistrate judge position 1 into a new district judge division number 2, also in Cloud County. The nominating commission then began the process of filling the vacancy.
 
The 12th Judicial District is composed of Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Republic, and Washington counties. It was one of two six-county districts with only one district judge division. The 24th judicial district is the other.
 
The nominees are: 

• Nels Noel, Concordia, attorney, private practice

• Jennifer O'Hare, Lincoln, district magistrate judge, Lincoln County

• Guy Steier, Clyde, former district magistrate judge, Cloud County

• Robert Walsh, Concordia, county attorney, Cloud 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 Cloud County 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.

Term of office
 
After serving one year in office, the new district 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 12th Judicial District Nominating Commission consists of Justice K.J. Wall as the nonvoting chair; Carol Good, Barnard; Justin Ferrell, Belleville; Dwight Daniels and James Johnson, Beloit; Bryan Cleveland, Concordia; Tanner Johnson, Courtland; David Savage, Greenleaf; Starla Nelson, Jamestown; Bradley Steen, Lincoln; Darrell Miller and Keith Roe, Mankato; and Elizabeth Hiltgen, Palmer.