4 September 2020
ST. LOUIS – George W. Draper III, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri and chair of the Appellate Judicial Commission, announces the commission today submitted to Governor Michael L. Parson its panel of nominees to fill the vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. This vacancy exists due to the July 2020 retirement of Judge Roy L. Richter.
The commission unanimously supports the three nominees. After more than six hours of public interviews, approximately four hours of deliberations and seven rounds of balloting, the nominees are Kelly C. Broniec, Kathleen S. Hamilton and Michael W. Noble.
Broniec is an associate circuit judge in Montgomery County (in the 12th Judicial Circuit). She was born in 1971 and resides in Montgomery City. She earned her bachelor of arts, summa cum laude, in business in administration from what is now William Woods University in Fulton and her law degree in 1996 from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. She received seven votes.
Hamilton is a partner at HeplerBroom LLC in St. Louis. She was born in 1976 and resides in St. Charles. She earned her bachelor of arts in history and English in 1999 from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, and her law degree in 2002 from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. She received seven votes.
Noble is a circuit judge in the 22nd Judicial Circuit (St. Louis city). He was born in 1966 and resides in St. Louis. He earned his bachelor of science in general engineering in 1988 from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, and his law degree in 2004 from Saint Louis University School of Law. He received seven votes.
The governor has 60 days to select one member of the panel to fill the vacancy. Should he fail to do so, the Missouri Constitution directs the commission to make the appointment.
In addition to Draper, the commission is composed of Michelle Beckler of Marshfield, Scott S. Bethune of Kansas City, Neil Chanter of Springfield, Timothy M. Drury of St. Louis, Thomas K. Neill of St. Louis and Kathy Ritter of Columbia.
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Note: The governor on October 19 appointed Kelly Broniec to fill this vacancy.
Note: Links to the applications are disabled after the governor makes his selection.
Contact: Beth S. Riggert
Communications Counsel
Supreme Court of Missouri
(573) 751-3676