Print edition: 
The decision about who will replace a retiring district court judge for Butler, Greenwood and Elk counties rests solely with Republican voters in next month's primary election.
Four Republicans are vying for Judge John Sanders' spot on the bench, and the winner will run unopposed in the November general election.
Butler County Attorney Jan Satterfield faces opposition from Greenwood County counselor Paul Dean, Andover lawyer Terry Huelskamp and Augusta Municipal Judge James Murfin.
All cite a depth of experience practicing law as the key strength of their campaigns.
Jan Satterfield
Satterfield, 44, may be the best known of the candidates, having served as chief prosecutor in Butler County for 10 years. She would be the first woman on the district court bench for those three counties.
"It's a fact, but I don't like to make gender a huge issue," she said. "I think there's much more substantive issues between the candidates than just gender."
Although Satterfield has been a prosecutor for 20 years, she said her experience goes beyond criminal law. She worked at a Wichita law firm and previously was a legal assistant and paralegal working on cases ranging from oil and gas and aviation law to environmental cases. She also cited work she's done for legal aid in Butler County, handling domestic cases for the indigent.
"I think I have a diverse background."
But she said it's her extensive trial experience as a prosecutor, and the past decade as Butler County attorney, that best qualifies her for the bench. She pointed out that in her small office she also handled appeals.
To be a judge, Satterfield said, it helps "not only to be intimately familiar with the current laws" but to also "have enough experience to foresee legal issues that develop during a case, so you can make proper rulings."
Paul Dean
Dean, 38, has served as an assistant prosecutor in Butler County, a criminal defense attorney in private practice and works under contract with Greenwood County to handle civil litigation.
"Essentially, I'm a trial attorney, whether it be the criminal side of things to the civil side of things," Dean said.
He also has handled a variety of cases.
"It's easier to say about the only thing I don't do a lot of is personal injury, bankruptcy and disability cases," Dean said. "I don't do those. But just about everything else is fair game."
Dean said he's dedicated his adult life to public service since serving on the Madison City Council at age 18. He sees district judge as another opportunity to serve the public.
Working a solo practice, Dean said, has prepared him for the bench.
"It's given me the chance to see things from both perspectives, not only from prosecution and defense, and not only criminal law and civil law, but also what it takes to be self-employed and working for yourself, having employees and also working for a governmental entity" (Greenwood County), Dean said.
Terry Huelskamp
Huelskamp, 50, said he's always been intrigued by the judge's job but wanted to wait until his children were grown.
"I didn't want to take away my time from those kids while they were growing up," he said.
Now four of his children are either in college or have graduated, and his youngest is in high school.
Huelskamp's private law practice centers on real estate cases, representing injured people and family law.
He also listed a background of community volunteer work, including 10 years on the Andover Public Library Board and work with the Andover Advantage Foundation, which provides grants to local teachers and benefits students.
"I'm just intrigued with the difference in going from a lawyer, actually looking at individual cases on behalf of clients and arguing those cases, to a judge," Huelskamp said. "It's just a unique process, interpreting the laws of the state of Kansas and making decisions that will obviously affect the community and the individuals who come before the court."
James Murfin
Murfin, 45, has been a judge in Augusta's city court for six years and said he feels it's time to move to the district court level.
"I think to be a judge you have to have a really broad perspective, and I hope I don't sound lacking in humility to say this, but I think I have the breadth of experience and specifically the judicial experience necessary to make that step," he said.
Murfin also works as a city attorney in El Dorado and has been prosecutor for Greenwood County and assistant prosecutor in Butler County. His private practice includes family law and criminal defense. He also serves as a public defender in Andover.
And Murfin said anyone who wants to get ahold of him may call him. His cell phone is listed on his website, murfinforjudge.com.
"So if anybody wants to speak with me more personally... they can call me anytime, 24/7/365 and 366 on a leap year," he said.
