Gov. Laura Kelly is going to get a new judicial appointment, this time in Johnson County where she will select from three nominees to serve on the bench in the 10th Judicial District.
The 10th District Judicial Nominating Commission sent the names of these candidates this week to Kelly.
They are: Michael McCulloch, the chief public defender in Johnson County; Shawnee Municipal Court Judge Karen Torline and Overland Park lawyer Paul Burmaster.
The governor’s appointee will fill the vacancy of Judge Kevin Moriarty, who is retiring June 28.
These were the candidates the committee chose from:
- Joshua K. Allen, Overland Park lawyer
- Jenifer Ashford, Prairie Village, district magistrate judge
- John E. Cowles, Olathe lawyer
- Michael J. Fleming, Leawood lawyer
- Daniel B. Hodes, Overland Park, attorney at Hallmark Cards
- Krishnan Christopher Jayaram, Overland Park lawyer
- Steven M. Johnson, Olathe lawyer
- Christopher E. Kopecky, Leawood lawyer
- Michael Richard-Tel Parrett, Shawnee lawyer
- Vanessa M. Riebli, Olathe, Johnson County District Attorney’s office section chief
- Kristen Shelley-Chapin, Shawnee lawyer
- Constance L. Shidler, Overland Park lawyer
- Sarah E. Stewart, Spring Hill lawyer
- John E. Taylor, Overland Park lawyer
- Gary J. Willnauer, Stilwell lawyer
The nominating commission is chaired by Supreme Court Justice Lee Johnson, who is a nonvoting member.
The lawyers on the committee are Thomas Bath Jr. of Leawood; John Parisi of Leawood; Laura McConwell of Mission; Stephen Tatum of Olathe; Rick Guinn of Overland Park; Judge Kevin Moriarty of Overland Park; and Greg Musil of Overland Park.
The nonlawyer members are Vivien Jennings of Fairway; Samuel Turner Sr. of Leawood; Joe Beveridge of Lenexa; Annabeth Surbaugh of Lenexa; Doug Brownlee of Olathe; James Griffith of Olathe; and Gregory Doring of Paririe Village.
