Judge Mark Pfeiffer heard his first case for the Court of Appeals Western District from an unusual place - the audience. Pfeiffer, who was appointed to the court on May 6, watched a court en banc argument later that month over the conviction of a man on a child molestation charge. He was in town for the court's conference that afternoon and intended merely to be a spectator. But when the court's existing eight judges split evenly over the outcome, Pfeiffer (with the attorneys' permission) was added as a ninth judge. As he said he learned, "there are no ties at the Court of Appeals."

Tagged with: Ann Mesle Cindy Reams Martin Gary D. Witt Hal Lowenstein John Miller Joseph Dandurand Karen King Mitchell Mark Pfeiffer Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Paul Spinden Ron Holliger

In a move that surprised few, Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed his longtime aide, Karen King Mitchell, to the Western District Court of Appeals. Mitchell was one of three finalists for a vacancy on the Kansas City-based appellate court. That ...

Tagged with: Jay Nixon Karen King Mitchell Mark Pfeiffer Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Paul Spinden

Columbia attorney Mark D. Pfeiffer has been appointed to fill the first of three vacancies on the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. The appointment is Gov. Jay Nixon's first to an appellate court since taking office in January. Pfeiffer will fill one of three openings on the Western District. He officially takes the spot of Judge Ron Holliger, who left the bench in January to go work as general counsel for Attorney General Chris Koster. Pfeiffer's name was submitted to Nixon in March, along with 17th Judicial Circuit Judge Jacqueline A. Cook and Cynthia L. Reams Martin. The governor had until Tuesday to make his selection.

Tagged with: Jay Nixon Mark Pfeiffer Missouri Court of Appeals Western District