I think you hit the nail on the head, for the creation of this form, the sequence should be:
TopPanel for TopListView
.dock = fill
TopListView inside TopPanel
.dock = fill
ComboBox for TopListView inside TopPanel
.dock = top

Splitter
.dock = bottom

BottomPanel for BottomListView
.dock = bottom
BottomListView inside BottomPanel
.dock = fill
BottomLabel for BottomListView inside BottomPanel
.dock = top

ButtonPanel for Buttons
.dock = left
Buttons inside ButtonPanel
.dock = top
Buttons created starting with last button first to accommodate the .dock property

if you create the panels one after the other then create the splitter the .dock sequence is messed up.
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