21 December 2011
ST. LOUIS – The Twenty-First Judicial Commission announced the panel of three nominees to be submitted to Governor Nixon to fill the circuit judge vacancy in St. Louis County created by the retirement of Judge James R. Hartenbach.
Those nominated by the commission are the Honorable Mary Elizabeth Ott, Commissioner Kristine Kerr and Dean P. Waldemer.
Ott has served as an associate circuit judge for St. Louis County since 2008. She has a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s College and a law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.
Kerr has been a family court commissioner for the 21st Judicial Circuit (St. Louis County) since 2004. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brown University and a law degree from Boston University School of Law.
Waldemer serves as the chief trial attorney for the prosecuting attorney’s office in St. Louis County, where he has served since 1991. He also has served as municipal judge for Town & Country since 2004. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Louis University and his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.
The commission conducted two days of public hearings after received written responses to questionnaires sent to each of the 37 applicants. The questionnaire is attached. The commission believes that these candidates chosen from a field of extremely qualified individuals possess those qualities essential to the fair and efficient administration of justice. The commission is confident that all of these individuals are capable of serving well and honorably if selected by the governor. Ott received four votes. Kerr and Waldemer each received three votes.
The members of the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit Commission are: Judge Kurt S. Odenwald, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District; Debbie Champion; Robert Patrick Dudley; Richard Wuestling IV; and Rev. Anthony Witherspoon.
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Update: The governor on February 24, 2012, appointed Kristine Kerr to fill this vacancy.
Note: Links to nominees' applications typically are disabled after the governor makes his appointment.
Contact: Laura Roy
(314) 539-4300