Three lawyers nominated to fill vacancy on KC Municipal Court
Three Kansas City attorneys have been nominated to replace Leonard Hughes III, who resigned at the end of September as a Kansas City municipal court judge.
The nominees are Corey Austin Carter, a lawyer in private practice; Keith Richard Ludwig, who is city prosecutor for Kansas City municipal government; and Courtney Ann Wachal, an assistant city prosecutor in Ludwig’s office.
They were recommended by the Kansas City Municipal Judicial Nominating Commission, which reviewed numerous applications for the position. Kansas City municipal court judges are among the highest paid judges in Missouri, earning more than $142,000 a year.
The City Council will interview the candidates Jan. 15 and expects to select a new judge that same day.
The city budget earlier this year recommended eliminating a municipal court division because of budget constraints. But Municipal Court spokeswoman Benita Jones said Hughes’ division focused on domestic violence, and city officials think that is a court priority that should not be kept vacant.
Jones also said court revenues are up, so the city has money to staff another judicial division of the court.
To reach Lynn Horsley, call 816-226-2058 or send email to lhorsley@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published December 3, 2014 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Three lawyers nominated to fill vacancy on KC Municipal Court."