(Syndicated to Kansas newspapers July 1, 2013)
It’s getting more interesting, this governor-all-by-himself selection of nominees to the Kansas Court of Appeals.
It’s the new law Gov. Sam Brownback pushed for and autographed this spring that eliminated on July 1 the role of the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission in the winnowing of applicants for a seat on the state’s second-highest judicial body.
The commission? Nine members, mostly lawyers (that’s objectionable to some, but do you want that cranky Dancing with the Stars judge involved?) who interview and sift through qualifications or experience or height or fashion sense or whatever of applicants and select three nominees to forward to the governor for his/her choice.
The commission still vets Supreme Court opening applicants, just not Court of Appeals applicants under the new law—the Appeals Court change only took a bill; a Supreme Court change would need a constitutional amendment. Brownback would like that, too.