17 July 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission announced today that it is accepting applications for judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, to fill the impending vacancy that will created in August 2012 when Judge Robert S. Barney will retire pursuant to article V, section 26 of the Missouri Constitution after having served a total of 25 years as a judge. He served as an associate circuit judge in Stoddard County (in the 35th Judicial Circuit) from 1987 until December 1995, when he was appointed to the appeals court.

Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the commission’s consideration. 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. Nominations should be submitted to the commission by e-mail at SDJudgeVacancy@courts.mo.gov or by postal mail to Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District Judge Vacancy, PO Box 150, Jefferson City, MO 65102.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, August 31, 2012. Interested persons may download the application and instructions below.

The commission expects to meet Thursday, October 11 at the Supreme Court Building, 207 W. High St. in Jefferson City, to interview applicants and to select a panel of three nominees for the governor’s consideration. 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 beginning of the interviews.

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