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OLATHE, Kan. — A commission has narrowed its search to fill three new district judge positions in Johnson County. 

In April, Gov. Laura Kelly signed the state’s budget for Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2023 allocating funding for 23 new district court and magistrate judges throughout the state, including three new judge positions for the 10th district court.

The 10th Judicial Nominating Committee interviewed 27 candidates, and has sent the names of five nominees to fill the district judge positions to Kelly. 

The nominees are:  

  • Jason Billam, Olathe, Billam & Henderson LLC 
     
  • Stephanie Goodenow, Lenexa, Goodenow Law 
     
  • Jadh Kerr, Lenexa, Speer and Holliday, LLP 
     
  • Catherine Triplett, De Soto, Triplett Law Firm, LLC 
     
  • Joann Woltman, Overland Park, Littler Mendelson

The governor will now have up to 60 days to decide whom to appoint. After serving an initial one-year term, new judges will be up for a retention vote in the next general election. If voters approve the incumbent candidates, they will serve a four-year term.