Judicial selection in Kansas

Judicial selection in Kansas
Kansas Supreme Court
Method:	Assisted appointment
Term:	6 years
Kansas Court of Appeals
Method:	Gubernatorial appointment
Term:	4 years
Kansas District Courts
Method:	Assisted appointment or Partisan election
Term:	4 years

Judicial selection refers to the process used to select judges for courts. At the state level, methods of judicial selection vary substantially in the United States, and in some cases between different court types within a state. There are six primary types of judicial selection: partisan and nonpartisan elections, the Michigan method, assisted appointment, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative elections. To read more about how these selection methods are used across the country, click here.

This article covers how state court judges are selected in Kansas, including:

• Supreme Court,
• Court of Appeals,
• District Courts, and
• Limited jurisdiction courts

As of April 2025, judges in Kansas were selected through a variety of methods. Supreme court justices and certain district court judges are selected through assisted appointment where a judicial nominating commission presents a list of nominees to the governor who then picks an appointee. Intermediate appellate court judges are selected through gubernatorial appointment with the consent of the Kansas State Senate. Certain district court judges are also elected through partisan elections.

Click here to notify us of changes to judicial selection methods in this state.

Kansas Supreme Court

See also: Kansas Supreme Court

The seven justices on the Kansas Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. The Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission is responsible for providing the names of nominees to the governor, who must then select a justice from that list. The commission is made up of nine members, one lawyer and non-lawyer from each congressional district and one additional lawyer who serves as chairperson. The four non-lawyers are appointed by the governor. Four lawyers are elected by members of the Kansas State Bar in each congressional district. The fifth lawyer is elected by a statewide vote of members of the Kansas State Bar.

Newly appointed justices serve for at least one year, after which they must stand for retention in the next even-year general election. If retained, the justice serves a six-year term and must stand for retention every six years after that point to remain in office.

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a judge must:

• have at least 10 years of active and continuous law practice in the state;
• be at least 30 years old; and
• be no older than 75. If a sitting judge turns 75 while on the bench, he or she may serve out the term.

Chief justice

The court's chief justice is chosen by seniority. He or she is the longest-serving justice on the court and serves as chief indefinitely. Upon his or her retirement, the justice with the next-longest tenure on the court becomes chief justice.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year and then stands for retention.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.