Topeka — Three people have been nominated to fill the Douglas County District Court judicial vacancy that was created by the appointment of Stephen Six as Kansas' attorney general.
The nominees are Peggy Carr Kittel, a Douglas County judge pro tem; Trevor C. Wohlford, executive director and chief legal counsel for the State Board of Tax Appeals; and Justice B. King, managing partner of the Topeka law firm of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will have 30 days from Monday to make an appointment from the three nominees that were provided by the 7th Judicial Nominating Commission.
Six was sworn in as attorney general Jan. 31. He was appointed by Sebelius to replace Paul Morrison, who resigned amid a sex scandal.
The three judicial nominees were selected out of 16 applicants, and all have ties to Kansas University. Kittel and King received their undergraduate and law degrees from KU, while Wohlford received his bachelor's and master's degrees from KU and his law degree from the University of Denver.
Kittel has been a judge pro tem since 1998, presiding over juvenile offender, child support and parenting time hearings. Before that, she served as an assistant district attorney, municipal court prosecutor, and was in private practice.
King has been with the Topeka law firm since 1976, becoming managing partner in 1988.
Wohlford has been with the State Board of Tax Appeals since 2004. Before that he was an associate attorney with Hinkle Elkouri, LLC, from 2002 to 2004; and in the firm of Foulston, Siefkin LLP from 1999 to 2002.
Other applicants for the job included David J. Brown, private practice; Darian P. Dernovish, legal counsel, Kansas Highway Patrol; Margaret Ann Farley, private practice; James T. George, private practice; John C. Gilroy, private practice; Kenneth P. Kula, private practice; Terence E. Leibold, private practice; Kirk W. Lowry, legal director, Disability Rights Center of Kansas Inc.; Suzanne (Valdez) McAllister, clinical associate professor, Kansas University School of Law; Martin L. Miller, private practice; Shon D. Qualseth, private practice; Jeffrey S. Southard, private practice; and Michael Warner, assistant U.S. Attorney.
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SFBayhawk (anonymous) says…
Problem is... they're all lawyers.
kansasredlegs (anonymous) says…
Justice B. King? If he is appointed, will justice be king?
Really, with the exception of Kittel, has the other two candidates even been involved in either a civil or criminal jury trial? My money is on the managing partner since it appears Gov. Sebelius likes those who pay in to the Democratic Party coffers, e.g., Six.
Peggy, while you deserve the nod from the finalists, Vegas will have to place the money on the money.
Baille (anonymous) says…
Peggy Kittel should be appointed without discussion or debate.
monkeyspunk (anonymous) says…
Having met Judge Kittel on a few occassions I have to say that she deserves this position terribly. She is a nice and gracious person, and from what I understand she runs her courtroom very well.
It kind of sucks for her though, Douglas County just finished building her and her staff a new courtroom and office space. Since it is specifically for pro tem, she is going to have to move down the hall.
Very strange though, I had spoken to her administrative assistant, and she made it sound like Kittel wasn't even going for the appointment. Oh well. Pleasant surprise, and I hope she gets it.
monkeyspunk (anonymous) says…
Fun fact, when Division VI was open Peggy applied for it as well, and it was given to Six. Interesting...kansasredlegs may be calling this one pretty well.