Judge William Ray Price, Jr.

Judge William Ray Price, Jr.

Supreme Court of Missouri

 

Dates of judicial service:

  • Appointed to the Supreme Court on April 7, 1992
  • Retained in office at the November 1994 general election for a 12-year term expiring December 31, 2006. Retained in office at the November 2006 general election for a 12-year term expiring December 31, 2018.
  • Served as chief justice from July 1999 through June 2001 and July 2009 through June 2011.

     
    Education:

  • Educated in the Keokuk, Iowa, public schools
  • Bachelor of Arts with high distinction (major - religion), 1974, University of Iowa
  • Rockefeller Fellow, Yale University Divinity School, 1974-1975
  • Juris Doctor, cum laude, Washington and Lee University School of Law, 1978

     
    Prior employment:

  • Attorney, Lathrop Norquist law firm, Kansas City, 1978 to 1992
    • Associate, 1978 to 1983
    • Partner, 1984 to 1992
    • Chairman,Business Litigation Section, 1987 to 1988 and 1990 to 1992 
    • Member, Managing Partners Committee, 1989 to 1990
    • Member, Executive Committee, 1990 to 1992


    Professional memberships and activities:

  • Chairman, National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), 2009 to 2011
  • Judicial Advisory Board, Searle Civil Justice Institute, 2008 to present
  • Board Member, ASTAR (Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource Center), 2009 
  • Chairman, Missouri Drug Court Commission, 2001 to present
  • Member, The Missouri Bar, 1978 to date
  • Life Member, Fellows of the American Bar Association
  • Member, National Conference of Chief Justices, 1999 to 2001
    • Vice president, 2000 to 2001
    • Chairman, Seniority and Geographical Representation Committee, 2000 to 2001
    • Member, Task Force on Multidisciplinary Practice
    • Member, Task Force on Problem-Solving Courts
  • Chair, Appellate Judicial Commission, 1999 to 2001
  • Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners:
    • Secretary-attorney, 1985 to 1989
    • President, 1989 to 1992
  • Member, GL. v. Zumwalt monitoring committee, US District Court for the Western District of Missouri, 1985 to 1987
  • Member, executive committee and board of directors, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, 1987 to 1992
  • Chairman, Merit Selection Commission for United States Marshal, Western District of Missouri,1989

    Religious Affiliation:

  • Member, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
  • Member, First Christian Church, Jefferson City, 1992 to present
    • Elder, 1997 to 2000, 2004 to present
    • President, Board of Elders, 1999 to 2000, 2004 to present
  • Member, Country Club Christian Church, Kansas City, 1979 to 1992
    • Elder, 1989 to 1992 
    • Deacon, 1982 to 1985, 1987 to 1989


    Awards and honors:

  • The Claire McCaskill Award, Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals, 2006
  • The Roosevelt Award, Greene County Drug Court, 2002
  • Robert Walston Chubb Award, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, 2001
  • Distinguished Non-Alumnus Award, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, 1996
  • Recipient, Hancher-Finkbine Undergraduate Award, University of Iowa, 1974
  • Individual Winner, Burks Moot Court Competition, Washington and Lee University School of Law
  • Burkes Teaching Fellowship, Washington and Lee University School of Law
  • Member, Phi Beta Kappa national undergraduate academic honors society
  • Member, Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society
  • Member, Phi Eta Sigma national honors society