20-3005. Nomination of judges to fill vacancies; panels of nominees; appointments by governor; failure of governor to make appointment; acceptance of nomination. On the respective July 1, pursuant to subsection (a) of K.S.A. 20-3002, and amendments thereto, the clerk of the supreme court shall notify the chairperson of the supreme court nominating commission of the number of vacant positions on the court of appeals to be filled by appointment. Upon receipt of such notice, the chairperson shall call a meeting of the commission and submit to the governor a panel of three nominees for the lowest numbered position on the court of appeals for which an appointment is to be made. The governor shall appoint one of such nominees to the position on the court of appeals for which the nominee was nominated within 60 days from the time the panel of nominations for such position is submitted to the governor. If the governor fails to make the appointment within such time, the chief justice of the supreme court shall make such appointment from among the persons nominated as provided in this section. When the appointment has been made and the person has informed the clerk of the supreme court in writing of the person's acceptance of such appointment, the clerk of the supreme court shall notify the chairperson of the supreme court nominating commission who again shall call a meeting of the commission and submit to the governor another panel of three nominees for the lowest numbered position remaining on the court of appeals for which no appointment has been made. The process of nomination and appointment provided in this section shall be repeated until nominations and appointments have been made for all positions on the court of appeals for which appointments are to be made. Each appointment to the court of appeals shall be made from a separate panel of nominees, and the appointment to each position shall be made and accepted before any other panel of nominees is submitted to the governor. The nomination of a person on an earlier panel shall not preclude the person's nomination on a subsequent panel.

History: L. 1975, ch. 178, § 5; L. 1986, ch. 116, § 2; L. 2001, ch. 174, § 2; July 1.