The Court of Appeals Nominating Commission today announced they will interview applicants on Thursday, July 16, and Friday, July 17, 2020, to fill the upcoming vacancy on the Court of Appeals created by the June 27, 2020, retirement of Judge Steve Leben. The following Kansans submitted applications for consideration:
Daniel Cahill, Kansas City
John F. Carpinelli, Topeka
Amy Cline, Wichita
Angela D. Coble, Salina
Henry R. Cox, Shawnee
Dennis D. Depew, Neodesha
Timothy L. Dupree, Kansas City
Carl A. Folsom III, Lawrence
Bach Hang, Wichita
Randall L. Hodgkinson, Topeka
Lesley A. Isherwood, Wichita
Michael P. Joyce, Leawood
Russell J. Keller, Fairway
Sarah J. Loquist-Berry, Topeka
Rhonda K. Mason, Olathe
Steven J. Obermeier, Olathe
Dave J. Rempel, Overland Park
Diane H. Sorensen, North Newton
Kristen D. Wheeler, Wichita
Marcia A. Wood, Wichita
The interviews, originally scheduled for Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20, 2020, were postponed to avoid bringing the nine commission members and 20 applicants together.
Interviews will be in a meeting room in the Wichita U.S. Courthouse, 401 N. Market St., Wichita, and are open to the public.
The interview schedule will be announced at a later date. All updates may be found at https://governor.kansas.gov/newsroom/press-releases/.
Governor Laura Kelly signed Executive Order 20-01 on Tuesday, January 28, establishing the Court of Appeals Nominating Commission. Under Kansas law, the Governor appoints judges to the Court of Appeals subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. The Commission will review each applicant’s background and qualifications, conduct interviews and then submit three nominees for the Governor to consider.
Pursuant to Executive Order 20-47, in the event an appointee to the Court of Appeals does not receive Senate consent, the Court of Appeals Nominating Commission will forward an additional nominee for the Governor’s consideration. That nominee will be selected from the applicants for the same vacancy and will be considered along with the two remaining nominees already submitted for that vacancy.