15 March 2023

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The 31st Circuit Judicial Commission is accepting applications for associate circuit judge in the 31st Judicial Circuit (Greene County) to fill the impending vacancy that will be created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Mark A. Powell. As previously explained, applications of individuals who applied for the recent Myers vacancy on the 31st circuit will be considered for the Powell vacancy, and those individuals will not be re-interviewed.

Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the commission’s consideration.  The Missouri Constitution requires that an associate circuit judge be a citizen of the United States, be a resident of Missouri for one year next preceding selection, be a qualified Missouri voter, be not less than 25 years of age, be licensed to practice law in Missouri, and be a resident of Greene County. Nominations should be submitted to the Commission by e-mail at 31stJudComm-AssociateCircuitVacancies@courts.mo.gov.

Public nomination form: in Word | in PDF

For those who did not apply for the Myers vacancy, new applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2023. Interested persons may download the application materials and instructions below.

Application form: in Word | in PDF

Authorization/certification: in Word | in PDF

Instructions: in Word | in PDF

Guidelines for references: in Word | in PDF

The commission will select and notify applicants to be interviewed. The commission plans to meet April 26, 2023, to interview new applicants and may select a panel of three nominees for the Powell vacancy for the governor’s consideration on that date. The interviews will be open to the public.  The names of those to be interviewed and information relating to the number and characteristics of all applicants will be released publicly prior to the interviews.

Current members of the 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.

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

Contact: Craig Street, clerk of the court

Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District

(417) 895-6811