4 September 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission now is accepting applications for the position of judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, to fill the vacancy created by the Aug. 1, 2007, retirement of Judge Robert G. Ulrich. Ulrich had served on the Western District since 1985.

Interested persons may download the application Interested persons may download the application and accompanying rules and instructions below:

Application: in Microsoft Word in Adobe

Instructions for Applicants: in Microsoft Word in Adobe

Guidelines for References: in Microsoft Word in Adobe

Applications must be filed by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, but earlier submission is encouraged.

Persons who applied for the opening on the Western District left by the recent retirement of Judge Edwin Smith need not file any additional materials. The Appellate Judicial Commission will consider all those applicants for the prior vacancy to have applied for the Ulrich opening unless the commission chair, Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith, has received written notification that they do not wish to be considered for the Ulrich vacancy on the Western District. Such prior applicants, however, may submit supplemental materials or references in support of their application up to the application deadline.

Additional interviews will not be scheduled with commissioners with whom applicants already have interviewed for either the Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ronnie White or the Court of Appeals vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Smith. Interviews will be scheduled for other applicants so that each commissioner has had the opportunity to interview each applicant.

The commission will confer and select a panel of three persons to nominate to the governor for the Ulrich opening as soon as practicable after the later of the following two events: (1) closure of the application period Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007, or (2) the governor appointing a judge to the Court of Appeals from the panel nominated for his consideration to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Smith.

The Missouri Constitution requires that a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals be at least 30 years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri, a United States citizen for at least 15 years and a qualified Missouri voter for at least nine years next preceding selection, and a resident of the court of appeals district in which he or she serves.

Note: Links to application materials typically are disabled after the application deadline passes.

Contact: Beth S. Riggert

Communications Counsel

Supreme Court of Missouri

(573) 751-3676