Merlin G. Wheeler
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Merlin G. Wheeler is the chief judge for the Fifth Judicial District in Kansas.[1] He faced a retention election on November 8, 2016.[2]
Education
Wheeler received his undergraduate degrees from Dodge City Community College and Emporia State University. He received his J.D. from Washburn University School of Law.[3]
Career
After graduating from law school, Wheeler served as city attorney for Emporia until 1980. He next went into private practice, where he stayed until appointment to the court in Lyon County in 1990. In 1997, he was appointed chief judge of the Kansas Fifth Judicial District.[3]
Possible appointment to Supreme Court
In Sepetember 2010, Wheeler's name of one of the three submitted to Governor Parkinson from the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission for consideration to succeed Robert Davis on the Kansas Supreme Court.[3]
Elections
2016
Kansas held retention and partisan elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on August 2, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was June 1, 2016.[4] Merlin G. Wheeler was retained in the Kansas District 5 (Division 3) election with 79.25 percent of the vote. [5]
| Kansas District 5 (Division 3), 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Merlin G. Wheeler | 79.25% | |
| Source: Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Chase County election officer Tiffany Harshman," January 9, 2017 Lyon County, Kansas, "Election Results 2016," November 14, 2016 | ||
2012
- See also: Kansas judicial elections, 2012
Wheeler stood for retention on November 6, 2012.[6] He was successful in his bid for retention, earning 77.7 percent of the vote with 7,870 yes votes.[1]
Judicial selection method
In 17 of the districts of the Kansas District Courts, judges are chosen through the commission-selection, political appointment method. These judges stand for retention after their first year in office and serve four-year terms if retained.[7][8]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[7]
- a state and district resident;
- a member in good standing of the state bar for at least five years; and
- under the age of 70. If a sitting judge turns 70 while on the bench, he or she may serve out the term.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 KVOE News, "Voters Maintain Sales Tax" November 6, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedlist - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Topoeka Capital-Journal, "Three nominated to bench," September 28, 2010
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing Information," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Candidates," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Lists" Select "2012 General"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Kansas," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Judicial Branch, "Nominating Commissions," accessed July 22, 2014
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Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Kansas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Kansas
State courts:
Kansas Supreme Court • Kansas Court of Appeals • Kansas District Courts • Kansas Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Kansas • Kansas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kansas
