15 June 2018

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission announced today it is accepting applications for judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, to fill the vacancy created by the March 30, 2018, retirement of Judge James E. Welsh after nearly four decades of judicial service, including the last decade on the appeals court. He worked for McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company before and during law school before beginning his legal career as a law clerk for Judge William E. Turnage on the Western District appeals court. He was in the private practice of law until 1985, when he became an associate circuit judge in Clay County, where he became a circuit judge three years later. Welsh joined the appeals court in November 2007 and served as the court’s chief judge from July 2012 through June 2014.

Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the commission’s consideration. The Missouri Constitution requires that a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals be at least 30 years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri, a United States citizen for at least 15 years and a qualified Missouri voter for at least nine years next preceding selection. Nominations should be submitted to the commission by e-mail at WDJudgeVacancy@courts.mo.gov, or by postal mail to Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District Judge Vacancy, P.O. Box 150, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The nomination form is available here.


Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, July 13, 2018. Interested persons may download the application and instructions here.


The commission expects to meet Wednesday and Thursday, August 8 and 9, 2018, at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District at 1300 Oak Street in Kansas City, to interview applicants and select a panel of three nominees for the governor’s consideration. The interviews will be open to the public. The names of those to be interviewed and information relating to the number and characteristics of all applicants will be released publicly prior to the beginning of the interviews.
 

Contact: Beth S. Riggert
Communications Counsel
Supreme Court of Missouri
(573) 751-3676