With the retirement of 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judge Deanell Tacha, President Barack Obama will select a new federal judge, likely from Kansas.

One potential candidate for the position is Lawrence attorney Steve Six, a Democratic former Kansas attorney general, said state Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence.

“I think he would make an excellent federal appeals court judge,” Davis said. “He’s certainly served with distinction as a Douglas County judge and as attorney general. He definitely has the pedigree.”

Davis said he had heard that Six’s name had been submitted to the White House for consideration, and added that he hoped Six would be the eventual selection.

Six didn’t return phone calls seeking comment.

Sarah Little, spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said the Justice Department would make recommendations for the president to fill the position.

As a courtesy, the White House typically sends a “blue slip” with the name of the nominee to the state’s home senators after the choice has been made, Little said.

The nominee is then subject to hearings before the Senate’s Judiciary Committee before going to the entire Senate for a confirmation vote. That process can be held up by senators placing “holds” on judges to stall the process. In September, The Washington Post reported that there were 103 open seats on federal district and appellate courts, creating a vacancy level of about 10 percent.

Once confirmed, judges serve life terms, as laid out in the Constitution.

Tacha will leave the bench in June to become Pepperdine University’s dean of law. She has previously said nominees traditionally come from the same state as their predecessor, but it’s not a requirement.