photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Kansas Judicial Center, 301 SW 10th Ave. in Topeka, is pictured on Dec. 18, 2023.

Three people from Lawrence, including two Douglas County District Court judges, have submitted applications to become the next justice on the Kansas Supreme Court.

Judge Amy Hanley, Judge Carl Folsom III and attorney Meryl Carver-Allmond, all of Lawrence, are among seven people who have applied to fill the vacancy recently created when Justice Marla Luckert retired.

photo by: Contributed

Judge Amy J. Hanley

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Carl Folsom III addresses the crowd at his swearing in ceremony on Dec. 2, 2022, at the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

These three also applied to fill the vacancy created when the late Justice Evelyn Wilson stepped down last year. Hanley was one of three finalists for Wilson’s seat, which ultimately went to Leawood attorney Larkin Evans Walsh, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Laura Kelly.

The other four people applying are attorney Molly McMurray Gordon, of Wichita; District Judge Krishnan Christopher Jayaram, of Lenexa; attorney Kristen Diane Wheeler, of Wichita; and District Judge Robert James Wonnell, of Olathe.

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission will meet by videoconference at 11 a.m. Tuesday to finalize the date to interview applicants and other procedural matters. The meeting will be livestreamed on the Kansas judicial branch YouTube channel at youtube.com/@KansasJudicialBranch/streams.

The full interview schedule and brief biographical information about each applicant will be posted on the Kansas judicial branch website at kscourts.gov shortly after the April 21 videoconference. After interviewing applicants, the commission will decide which three to recommend to the governor, who will appoint one to fill the vacancy.

To be considered, a nominee must be at least 30 years old and be a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least 10 years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school.

When the commission reviews nominees for justice, they look at a person’s legal and judicial experience, educational background, character and ethics, temperament, service to the community, impartiality, and the respect of their colleagues.