Governor Laura Kelly today announced her appointments to the Court of Appeals Nominating Commission.
Kelly on Tuesday appointed Linda Parks as chair of the Commission, and today named the remaining eight members to the Commission.
Governor Kelly appointed Rick Marquez, Don Noland, Mike Fleming, Karen Humphreys, Henry Schwaller, Danielle Dempsey-Swopes, Jonathan Eshnaur and Monique Garcia to the Commission.
Executive Order 20-01, which established the Court of Appeals Nominating Commission, requires the appointments to include five legal professionals (active attorneys or retired judges) and four public members, and for the commissioners to represent diverse, bipartisan and geographically balanced backgrounds. The Commission will be charged with vetting and recommending applicants for Court of Appeals vacancies and providing three candidates from which the Governor will submit an appointment to the Senate for confirmation.
“We’ve put together a strong, well qualified team that I know will perform in a diligent, thoughtful way in filling our Court of Appeals vacancies,” Kelly said. “They’re ready to get to work and I eagerly anticipate reviewing the nominees they submit.”
Marquez, Garden City, is the legal professional member for the First Congressional District. Marquez is a partner with Lindner, Marquez and Koksal law firm, and is a graduate of Washburn University School of Law.
Noland, Pittsburg, is the legal professional member for the Second Congressional District. Noland is a retired 11th District Court Judge and a graduate of Washburn University School of Law.
Fleming, Leawood, is the legal professional member for the Third Congressional District. Fleming is an attorney at Kapke and Willerth law firm, and a graduate of Washburn University School of Law.
Humphreys, Wichita, is the legal professional member for the Fourth Congressional District. Humphreys is a retired U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge, and a graduate of University of Kansas School of Law.
Schwaller, Hays, is the public member for the First Congressional District. Schwaller is president of Henry Schwaller and Associates and was previously the mayor of the City of Hays.
Dempsey-Swopes, Topeka, is the public member for the Second Congressional District. Dempsey-Swopes is an adjunct professor and director diversity and inclusion at Washburn University. She is a graduate of Kansas State University and Washburn University School of Law.
Eshnaur, Olathe, is the public member for the Third Congressional District. Eshnaur is a special education teacher at Olathe Northwest High School and received his M.A. from Kansas State University.
Garcia, Wichita, is the public member for the Fourth Congressional District. Garcia is the director of community relations at the Kansas Health Foundation. She received her MBA from Southwestern College.
The Commission will begin working immediately to select three nominees to fill the vacancy that will be created by the April 3, 2020 retirement of Judge G. Joseph Pierron Jr. Applications to fill the Court of Appeals vacancy that have already been submitted to the Governor’s Office will be forwarded to the Commission for consideration. Additional applicants for the Court of Appeals vacancy should contact JudicialApplications@ks.gov for details on submitting application materials. The Commission will accept applications through February 7, 2020.
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