22 June 2023

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Pursuant to Supreme Court of Missouri Rule 10.28(d), the 31st Circuit Judicial Commission releases the following information relating to applicants for the circuit judge vacancy in the 31st Judicial Circuit created by the impending retirement of the Honorable Michael J. Cordonnier in July 2023. There are 16 applicants, of whom 12 report they are male, four report they are female, and none report they are minority applicants. Seven applicants presently work in the private sector and nine applicants presently work in the public sector. The applicants’ mean age is 44 years.

As previously explained, the commission will not re-interview individuals who applied for the Jones vacancy, all of whom were interviewed in March. Also pursuant to Rule 10.28(d), the commission announces it will interview six new applicants who timely submitted a completed application with all required materials. The new applicants to be interviewed are:

Kevin Austin

Skylar Eugene Burks

Cameron Miles Casad

Jared Robertson

Josephine L. Stockard

Nathan R. Taylor

Additionally, one applicant for the Jones vacancy withdrew from consideration for the Cordonnier vacancy.

The commission is scheduled to conduct interviews for the Cordonnier vacancy starting at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, July 20, and if necessary, Friday, July 21, 2023, at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, 300 Hammons Parkway, Springfield, Missouri, in the third-floor courtroom.  The public is invited to attend and observe the interviews. The commission plans to meet immediately following interviews to select a panel of three nominees for the governor’s consideration.

After the governor makes his appointment to fill the Cordonnier vacancy, the commission expects to reopen the application process briefly for any additional individuals who wish to be considered for any additional circuit judge vacancies announced before June 30, 2023, with all applications received and interviews conducted for the Jones and Cordonnier vacancies remaining in active consideration unless any such application is withdrawn. To the extent possible, the commission plans to address vacancies in the order that the vacancies will occur.

The members of the 31st Circuit Judicial Commission are: Jack A. L. Goodman, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District; attorneys Deborah K. Dodge and Kurt J. Larson; and lay members Kim Hancock and Dr. Fred G. McQueary.

Contact: Craig Street, clerk of the court

Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District

(417) 895-6811