photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured in March of 2022. The center houses the Douglas County District Court and other county services.

The 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission is scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss two open judicial positions in Douglas County.

The commission is involved in filling positions created by the retirement of Judge Kay Huff this month and a new judgeship that was created after the Kansas Legislature approved funding for new positions across the state, according to a news release from the Office of Judicial Administration. The 7th Judicial District is entirely within Douglas County.

The commission’s meeting will be via telephone at 9 a.m. The commission is made up of three lawyers, Elizabeth Cateforis, Wesley Smith and Daniel Watkins, and three nonlawyers, Elina Alterman, Stephanie Davis and Lisa Harris-Frydman, all of Lawrence. The commission is chaired by Justice Eric Rosen, who does not vote on nominees.

The commission will select three to five people to submit to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who will have 60 days to appoint one of the nominees. The nominees are required to be at least 30 years old, to have practiced law in Kansas for at least five years and to be a resident of the 7th Judicial District. However, if there aren’t enough nominees from within the district, then someone from outside the district may be selected, according to the release from OJA.

In the meantime the duties that Judge Huff is leaving behind in Division 3 of Douglas County District Court will be divided among other Douglas County judges and senior judges from the OJA, said Douglas County Chief Judge James McCabria.

“We will make certain all cases receive coverage. As chief judge, it is my responsibility to see that those cases are assigned,” McCabria said. “We have requested senior judges for all jury trials scheduled in Division 3 through the end of the year.”