Home County: Dunklin
Term of service at the Supreme Court of Missouri: October 1982 - May 1991
Judge William Howard Billings was a resident of Kennett, Missouri.[i] After graduating from the Kennett school system, Billings attended the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1939.[ii] In 1950, he entered law school at the University of Missouri-Columbia.[iii] During his time at law school, he was named to the Order of Coif and received the John D. Lawson Award, the Judge Shephard Barclay Award, and a University of Missouri Law Association Citation of Merit.[iv] After graduating from law school in 1952[v] Billings returned to Kennett, Missouri, and practiced law with the firm McHaney, McHaney, and Welman until 1966.[vi]
While practicing law, Billings was involved in various committees, including the circuit bar committee from 1956 to 1966.[vii] He also was a United States Commissioner from 1956 to 1960 and served on the United States District Court board of admissions from 1961 to 1965. [viii]
Governor Warren E. Hearnes appointed Billings to the 35th Judicial Circuit in 1966.[ix] Governor Hearnes later appointed Billings to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, on January 1, 1973.[x] He was chief judge of the Southern District from 1974 to 1978.[xi] Throughout his service in the judiciary, Judge Billings was a member of various organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Missouri Bar, and the Dunklin County Bar Association.[xii]
In October 1982, Governor Christopher S. Bond appointed Billings to the Supreme Court of Missouri.[xiii] He retained his position in the 1984 election.[xiv] He became chief justice of the court in 1987 and served in that capacity until 1989.[xv]
Judge Billings served on the bench until his death in May 1991.[xvi] He was 69 years old.[xvii]
[i] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State, Steven N. Ahrens, ed., Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988, (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[ii] Kathryn Rogers, “Missouri’s Chief Justice Earns Bachelor’s Degree,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1988).
[iii] Kathryn Rogers, “Missouri’s Chief Justice Earns Bachelor’s Degree,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1988).
[iv] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State, Steven N. Ahrens, ed., Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988 (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[v] Scott Oliphant, “State justice system mourns the loss of Judge Billings,” The St. Louis Countian (1991).
[vi] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State, Steven N. Ahrens, ed., Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988, (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[vii] Scott Oliphant, “State justice system mourns the loss of Judge Billings,” The St. Louis Countian (1991).
[viii] Scott Oliphant, “State justice system mourns the loss of Judge Billings,” The St. Louis Countian (1991).
[ix] “William H. Billings, Missouri Supreme Court Judge, Dies,” Missouri Lawyers Weekly (1991), 3.
[x] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State, Steven N. Ahrens, ed., Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988, (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[xi] Terry Ganey, “William H. Billings; Supreme Court Judge,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1991).
[xii] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State, Steven N. Ahrens, ed., Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988, (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[xiii] Springfield News-Leader Staff, “Bond appoints Springfield judge to Supreme Court,” Springfield New-Leader (1982)
[xiv] Roy Blunt, Secretary of State. Steven N. Ahrens, ed. Official Manual, State of Missouri, 1987-1988, (Jefferson City, MO, 1987), 195.
[xv] “Supreme Court Picks New Chief Justice,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1987).
[xvi] Bob Watson, “Former Chief Justice William Billings dies,” Post-Tribune, Jefferson City (1991).
[xvii] “William H. Billings; Supreme Court Judge,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1991).
Biographical information authored by Ms. Hannah Siegel, 2017, Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri.