Under the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, the circuit judicial commissions help fill judicial vacancies on the circuit courts of the city of St. Louis and Clay, Greene, Jackson, Platte and St. Louis counties.
These commissions accept applications from lawyers interested in serving on the court and interview the applicants. They then submit the names of three qualified candidates – called the "panel" of candidates – to the Missouri governor. If the governor does not appoint one of the three panelists within 60 days of submission, the commission selects one of the three panelists to fill the vacancy.
Composition of the Commissions
There are six circuit judicial commissions:
- 6th Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the Platte County Circuit Court)
- 7th Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the Clay County Circuit Court)
- 16th Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the Jackson County Circuit Court)
- 21st Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the St. Louis County Circuit Court)
- 22nd Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the City of St. Louis Circuit Court)
- 31st Circuit Judicial Commission (for vacancies on the Greene County Circuit Court)
Each five-member commission consists of the chief judge of the district of the Court of Appeals in which the circuit is located and four residents of the circuit. In selecting the resident members, two lawyers are elected by members of The Missouri Bar (the organization of all lawyers licensed in this state) in that circuit, and two non-lawyers are appointed by the governor. The chief judge serves for two years. All other members serve staggered terms of six years each. For membership and contact information for each commission, select the links to the left.