The Missouri Senate tackled alterations to the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan for the first time last year. But after the measure failed to come to a vote in the Senate, legislative prospects are dim this year for changing the system ...

Tagged with: Better Courts for Missouri James Harris Jared Craighead Jim Lembke judicial selection Missouri House Missouri Senate Nonpartisan Court Plan Ron Richard Stanley Cox Todd Graves

A state senator from St. Louis is proposing to tie compensation of Missouri judges to the pay of their federal counterparts. State Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis County, introduced a change to the state’s constitution earlier this week that would ...

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The 2009 legislative session ended with an unexpected gift for the courts and the Bar: the last-minute resurrection and passage of a wide-ranging judiciary bill, the first such bill to pass in at least four years.

Tagged with: Jim Lembke Judiciary Committee Chairman Bryan Stevenson Matt Bartle Missouri Legislature omnibus judiciary bill

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

Sen. Jim Lembke (pictured) championed reform of the Nonpartisan Court Plan on the floor of the Missouri Senate on Wednesday. It was the first time the controversial proposal had been debated by the full Senate. Lembke, a Republican from Lemay, took charge in shepherding a proposed constitutional amendment altering the plan used to choose judges in various parts of the state. And the longtime opponent of the current plan could point out opponents of his resolution, many of whom possessed a notebook about an inch and a half thick that featured talking points in support of the current plan.

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A group advocating changes to Missouri’s plan for selecting judges wants to know how actively involved the Supreme Court has been in fighting that effort. James Harris, director of Better Courts for Missouri, filed a Sunshine Law request Wednesday with ...

Tagged with: Jim Lembke Joint Resolution judge selection Nonpartisan Court Plan Stanley Cox Sunshine Law

Linda Martinez’s path to leading Missouri’s Department of Economic Development hit yet another roadblock on Wednesday. Sen. Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, blocked the St. Louis attorney’s nomination from coming up for a vote in the Missouri Senate after he expressed displeasure ...

Tagged with: Brad Lager Bryan Cave clients confirmation Department of Economic Development illegal immigration Jim Lembke Kevin Engler Linda Martinez Missouri Scott Rupp

The Missouri Senate overwhelmingly rejected a commission’s recommendation to potentially boost pay for elected officials and judges. The 32-1 vote effectively killed a plan put forth late last year by the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation. The plan stipulated a ...

Tagged with: elected officials Jay Nixon Jim Lembke Joan Bray judges Mike McGhee Missouri pay raise reject

Efforts to confirm Bryan Cave partner Linda Martinez as director of the state’s economic development agency ran into a speed bump at the state Capitol on Thursday. The Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee had signed off on her appointment. But the ...

Tagged with: Brad Lager Bryan Cave confirmation Ed Martin illegal immigration Jim Lembke Linda Martinez Missouri Department of Economic Development

As part of the continued efforts against red-light cameras, state Sen. Jim Lembke introduced a bill Wednesday to prohibit cities from using the cameras to enforce traffic violations. The St. Louis County Republican introduced the bill, SB 211, because of ...

Tagged with: Brian Yates Ed Martin Jesse Irwin Jim Lembke Missourians Against Red Light Traffic Cameras red-light cameras traffic violations