Caleb Stegall speaking at the Statehouse last year. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)Governor Sam Brownback says his former chief counsel isn’t a shoo-in for a seat on the Kansas Supreme Court. Brownback appointed attorney Caleb Stegall to an open seat on the Kansas Court of Appeals last year. Now, Stegall is one of three candidates in contention for an open seat on the Kansas Supreme Court. Brownback says he’ll be looking at the qualifications of all three nominees.
“Competency, judicial temperament, good solid intellect, experience. Somebody who would make a good long-term judge,” says Brownback.
Brownback says he’ll be interviewing the candidates this month. He has until early October to make a decision.
Stegall was the first judge selected for the Kansas Court of Appeals under a new system where the governor appoints candidates to that court, who then must be confirmed by the Kansas Senate. Candidates for the state Supreme Court are selected by a nominating commission, and the governor gets to pick from a panel of three choices.