1 September 2011

JEFFERSON CITY – Richard B. Teitelman, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri and chair of the Appellate Judicial Commission, announced this afternoon that the commission has submitted to Governor Jay Nixon its panel of nominees to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court of Missouri. This vacancy exists due to the retirement of Judge Michael A. Wolff, who has resumed a full-time teaching career at Saint Louis University School of Law after serving 13 years on the Supreme Court, including a term as chief justice.

The commission unanimously supports the three nominees. After 6.5 hours of public interviews, 4.5 hours of deliberations and seven rounds of balloting, the nominees are: the Honorable Michael W. Manners, seven votes; the Honorable George W. Draper III, five votes; and Joe D. Jacobson, four votes.

Manners is a circuit judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit (Jackson County). He was born in September 1950. He earned his bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in history and political science in 1972 from Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri) in Warrensburg and his law degree in 1976 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Manners lives in Lee’s Summit.

Draper is a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. He was born in August 1953. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1977 from Morehouse College in Atlanta and his law degree in 1981 from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. Draper lives in Chesterfield.

Jacobson is a shareholder in the St. Louis law firm of Green Jacobson PC. He was born in June 1961. He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1983 from Washington University in St. Louis and his law degree, magna cum laude, in 1986 from Boston University School of Law. He lives in University City.

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 Teitelman, the commission is composed of attorneys J.R. Hobbs of Kansas City, Nancy Mogab of St. Louis and John D. Wooddell of Springfield and lay members John Gentry of Springfield, Donald L. Ross of St. Louis and Jill Shurin of Kansas City.

Contact: Beth S. Riggert

Communications Counsel

Supreme Court of Missouri

(573) 751-3676