Public meetings scheduled for judge replacement

With the coming retirement of District Judge William Isenhour, the 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission will have two public meetings to allow resident comments on Isenhour's replacement.

Of the applicants to replace Isenhour, 14 are attorneys and two are district magistrate judges. The meetings will be at 9 a.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Aug. 22 at the Johnson County administration building, 111 S. Cherry St.

Seven attorneys who are elected by licensed attorneys in the county and seven non-attorneys appointed by the County Commission comprise the nominating commission. The commission will interview each applicant; conduct background checks of criminal, credit and disciplinary history; check references; and weigh public comment before narrowing the list to three candidates. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will appoint Isenhour's successor from that list.

Isenhour announced in late June that he would retire Sept. 8 after 14 years on the bench. Prior to his September 1994 appointment, the Kansas City, Kan., native practiced law in the county for 25 years and served as municipal judge in Merriam and Mission.

The 16 applicants vying to replace Isenhour are: G.Gordon Atcheson, Overland Park; Jon Blongewicz, Overland Park; Paul Burmaster, Overland Park; Henry Cox, Shawnee; Veronica L. Dersch, Stilwell; Neil Foth, Lake Quivira; Ellen Suzanne Goldman, Overland Park; Michael Halloran, Leawood; Judge James Phelan, Overland Park; Matthew Miller, Leawood; Ronald Nelson, Prairie Village; Thomas Kelly Ryan, Shawnee; Robert Scott, Lenexa; and Rekha Sharma-Crawford, Overland Park; Jean Ann Uvodich, Overland Park; and Judge Daniel Vokins, Olathe.

Public comments can be submitted in writing to nominating commission secretary, Judge Karen Arnold Burger, 12400 Foster, Overland Park, KS, 66213 or faxed to 327-5701. For more information, visit www.jocojnc.org.