Lawyers in the Western District have selected Kansas City attorney J.R. Hobbs (pictured) for a position on the Appellate Judicial Commission. In results finalized Saturday, the St. Louis and Jackson County circuit courts also announced new attorney members. Steven L. Groves will join the commission for 22nd Circuit. Scott Bethune was elected to the judicial commission that selects nominees for vacancies in the 16th Circuit. Meanwhile, attorneys Richard Wuestling IV and Matthew Rossiter will be facing off in a runoff election for a position on the St. Louis County Circuit Judicial Commission.

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission J.R. Hobbs Matthew Rossiter Richard Wuestling IV Scott Bethune Steven L. Groves

A plaintiff attorney and a criminal defense lawyer are vying to help select judges of the state’s highest courts. Two Kansas City attorneys had applied to run for the Western District seat on the Appellate Judicial Commission by Thursday’s deadline. ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission

Two circuit judges and the director of the Missouri Department of Revenue are the finalists for the second of three vacancies on the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. The Appellate Judicial Commission on Wednesday nominated Judge Jacqueline A. Cook, ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Gary D. Witt Jacqueline A. Cook Karen King Mitchell Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Paul Spinden

After a legislative push to alter the Nonpartisan Court Plan faltered on Wednesday, opponents of how some judges are selected in Missouri see the initiative petition process as the vehicle to achieve their aims. A proposed constitutional amendment altering the ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Jim Lembke Missouri Bar Missouri Plan Nonpartisan Court Plan Skip Walther Stanley Cox

As debate looms in the Missouri Senate on a constitutional amendment altering the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, The Missouri Bar is reiterating its opposition to changing the way the state chooses some of its judges. Bar President Tom Burke and President-elect Skip Walther held a press conference on Tuesday morning to skewer proposed changes offered in House Joint Resolution 10. The two attorneys portrayed the alterations as a way of injecting politics into the plan and giving more power over judicial selection to the governor.

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Charlie Shields Matt Bartle Missouri Bar Missouri Plan Nonpartisan Court Plan Skip Walther Stanley Cox Tom Burke

Less than a day after it won initial approval in the Missouri House, a resolution altering Missouri's Nonpartisan Court Plan was sent to the Senate on Thursday. (pictured at left) Rep. Stanley Cox's resolution passed 85-72, three votes more than the constitutionally needed amount to send legislation to the Senate. Among other things, Cox's resolution would increase the number of judicial nominees from three to four. Watch video of Cox talking about the court plan. Click here to see how lawyers in the House voted.

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Bryan Pratt Missouri Missouri House Nonpartisan Court Plan Rachel Bringer Stanley Cox

The Appellate Judicial Commission on Friday named the first of three panels of candidates for openings on the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. The panel consists of Judge Jacqueline A. Cook, Cynthia L. Reams Martin and Mark D. Pfeiffer. ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Cynthia L. Reams Martin Jacqueline A. Cook Jay Nixon Mark D. Pfeiffer Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan

How many times is too many to be nominated for a spot on a Missouri appellate court? A group that criticizes the state’s method of selecting judges issued a statement Wednesday, calling for the Appellate Judicial Commission to send the ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Better Courts for Missouri James Harris Jay Nixon Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts

For the past few years, opponents have ramped up efforts to change the composition of the state’s Nonpartisan Court Plan. Some have argued that the process is too secretive and provides too much power to trial attorneys. On Tuesday, a ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Nonpartisan Court Plan Stanley Cox The Missouri Bar trail attorney

The Appellate Judicial Commission said Thursday that 47 lawyers applied for three vacancies on the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. Thirteen of these applicants are women, and 34 are men. Three are minority applicants and 44 non-minority applicants. There ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Joseph Dandurand Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Ron Holliger Spinden

The Appellate Judicial Commission has suspended the process to fill Judge Booker T. Shaw’s vacancy on the Eastern District Court of Appeals until at least late summer because of scheduling conflicts with filling the three vacancies on the Western District ...

Tagged with: Appellate Judicial Commission Booker T. Shaw Eastern District Court of Appeals Jay Nixon Joseph Dandurand Paul Spinden Ron Holliger Western District Court of Appeals