20-2914. Same; vacancies in district magistrate judge positions; method of selection.

20-2914

Chapter 20.--COURTS
Article 29.--NONPARTISAN SELECTION OF JUDGES OF THE DISTRICT COURT

      20-2914.   Same; vacancies in district magistratejudgepositions; method ofselection.(a) Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of district magistratejudge in any judicial district which has approved the proposition ofnonpartisan selection of district court judges, or whenever a vacancywill occur in such office on a specified future date, the chief justiceof the supreme court promptly shall give notice of such vacancy to thechairperson of the district judicial nominating commission of suchjudicial district. The chairperson, in consultation with members ofthecommission, within five days after receipt of such notice,shall set a schedule for accepting nominations and conduction[conducting] interviewsfor the purpose of selecting a person to fill such vacancy. Any personso selected shall have the qualifications prescribed by subsection (c)of K.S.A. 20-334, and in order to obtain the best qualifiedperson as a district magistrate judge, the commission shall not limitits consideration of potential appointees to those persons whose nameshave been submitted to the commission or who have expressed awillingness to serve. The commission may authorize one or moremembers of the commission to tender an appointment to any qualifiedperson in order to ascertain such person's willingnessto serve ifappointed. Any such tender of appointment shall be subjectto finalaction of the commission under the conditions prescribed by subsection(b) of K.S.A. 20-2907, and amendments thereto.

      (b)   Any appointment made pursuant to subsection (a) shall becontingent upon the acceptance of such appointment by the person soappointed and, if such person is not regularly admitted to practice lawin Kansas, the appointment shall be made on a temporary basis until suchperson has been certified by the supreme court as qualified to hold suchoffice, in the manner provided by K.S.A. 20-337, and amendments thereto.

      History:   L. 1976, ch. 146, § 20;L. 2003, ch. 99, § 15; July 1.