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Melissa Standridge
2020 - Present
2029
4
Melissa Standridge is a judge of the Kansas Supreme Court. She assumed office on December 14, 2020. Her current term ends on January 8, 2029.
Standridge ran for re-election for judge of the Kansas Supreme Court. She won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Standridge was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court on November 30, 2020, by Gov. Laura Kelly (D) to replace retired Judge Carol Beier.[1] To learn more about this appointment, click here.
Standridge was a judge on the Kansas Court of Appeals, serving from 2008 to 2020. She was first appointed to the court by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) on January 11, 2008.[2] She left office in 2020 when she was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court.[1]
The Kansas Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Kansas. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to review the decisions reached by lower courts within the state. To read more about the court, click here.
Biography
Standridge received her bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Kansas in 1984. In 1993, she earned her J.D. from the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law.[3]
After graduating from law school, Standridge was chambers counsel for Elmo Hunter, a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. From 1995 to 1999, she was an associate attorney at Shook, Hardy & Bacon.[3]
Standridge then worked as chambers counsel for David Waxse, a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, from 1999 to 2008.[3]
Elections
2022
See also: Kansas Supreme Court elections, 2022
Kansas Supreme Court, Melissa Standridge's seat
Melissa Standridge was retained to the Kansas Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 66.8% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
66.8
|
592,572 | ||
No |
33.2
|
295,029 | |||
Total Votes |
887,601 | ||||
|
|
2018
- See also: Kansas judicial elections, 2018
Standridge was retained to the Kansas Court of Appeals with 69.2% of the vote on November 6, 2018.[4]
2014
- See also: Kansas judicial elections, 2014
Standridge was retained to the Kansas Court of Appeals with 60.6% of the vote on November 4, 2014.[5]
2010
- See also: Kansas judicial elections, 2010
Standridge was retained to the Kansas Court of Appeals with 65.4% of the vote in 2010.[6]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melissa Standridge did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Appointments
2020
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) appointed Melissa Standridge to the Kansas Supreme Court on November 30, 2020. Standridge succeeded Justice Carol Beier, who retired on September 18, 2020. Standridge was Gov. Kelly's third nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
At the time of the appointment, the governor would select a supreme court justice from a list submitted by the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission.
2008
Standridge was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals on January 11, 2008, by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) to fill a new position created by the Kansas State Legislature in 2007.[2]
State supreme court judicial selection in Kansas
- See also: Judicial selection in Kansas
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.[7] 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.[7]
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.[7]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must:[7]
- have at least 10 years of active and continuous law practice in the state;[8]
- 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.[9] Upon his or her retirement, the justice with the next-longest tenure on the court becomes chief justice.
Vacancies
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.[10]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kansas Office of the Governor, "Governor Laura Kelly Appoints Melissa Taylor Standridge to the Kansas Supreme Court," November 30, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, "Melissa Taylor Standridge Appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals," January 12, 2008
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kansas Judicial Branch, "Justice Melissa Taylor Standridge," accessed June 28, 2021
- ↑ "Kansas Secretary of State," "2018 General Election Official Vote Totals," accessed December 14, 2020
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Candidates for the 2014 General (unofficial)," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Official Vote Totals," accessed May 31, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Supreme Court Nominating Commission, "Filling a Supreme Court vacancy," Aug. 6, 2020
- ↑ This may include work as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school.
- ↑ Our Kansas Courts, "Judicial Selection," accessed Sept. 24, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Judicial Branch, "Kansas Supreme Court," accessed June 21, 2021
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