For the fifth time over the past five years, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District will convene court to hear cases for its Northern Division docket in Hannibal, Missouri, Chief Judge Kurt S. Odenwald announced today. Students and interested citizens are invited to attend the court sessions of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, when it holds its Northern Division docket in the courtroom of Circuit Judge Rachel Bringer in the Hannibal Courthouse on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 1:00 p.m.  The court sessions are open to the public.
   
The May 29 docket continues a tradition of the Eastern District of convening court in areas outside of St. Louis, where the court regularly conducts its sessions.  The Eastern District has convened numerous times at various locations in northeastern Missouri, and sat most recently in October 2011 at the Hannibal federal building.
   
“Our court strongly believes in holding oral argument outside of St. Louis,” Chief Judge Odenwald said.  “The Eastern District comprises large areas outside of St. Louis, and by traveling to all parts of the district, citizens of our state have an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial process that they normally do not see.  We hope that those individuals who attend the oral arguments will learn about the appellate process and gain a better understanding of our court’s role in the judicial system. It is important that we make our court and its judges accessible to citizens throughout Missouri”.
   
The Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, is the state’s largest appellate court, with offices in the historic Old Post Office in downtown St. Louis. There are fourteen judges on the court, which handles approximately fifty percent of the intermediate appellate caseload in Missouri. The Eastern District has jurisdiction over appeals from trial courts in 24 counties and the City of St. Louis stretching from the Iowa border to Cape Girardeau. The court regularly hears cases in St. Louis, Hannibal, Cape Girardeau and other locations in the Eastern District.
   
Judge Odenwald explained that the cases to be heard are appeals from previously held trials in local circuit courts. The three judge panel will hear from attorneys, who will argue whether the trial court made any errors of law, which would require the case to he retried, or the trial court’s judgment to be reversed, he said.  The judges will read the parties written arguments prior to the court session, and may ask the attorneys questions relating to their case, Judge Odenwald added.
   
A three-judge panel consisting of Judge Clifford H. Ahrens of Hannibal, Judge Gary M. Gaertner Jr. of St. Louis and Judge Robert M. Clayton III of Hannibal will hear arguments in three cases.  Judge Gaertner will preside over the proceedings at the Hannibal courthouse.  
   
Judge Ahrens was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1991. Prior to his appointment, Judge Ahrens practice law in Hannibal.  Judge Gaertner was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2009.  He previously served as a circuit judge, assistant U.S. Attorney and assistant prosecuting attorney.  Judge Clayton was appointed to the court of appeals in 2011.  He previously served as a member of the Public Service Commission and state representative, and also practiced law in Hannibal.
   
Prior to the docket, the Court will also be conducting a seminar for attorneys on the implementation of electronic filing, which was implemented in the Eastern District on April 2 of this year.  Attorneys are invited to a “dutch-treat” luncheon at Lulabelle’s Restaurant beginning at 11:00 a.m.
   
In addition to Hannibal, over the past 10 years the Court has held sessions in Palmyra, Canton, Troy, New London, Bowling Green, Farmington, Jackson, St. Charles, Montgomery City, Ste.Genevieve, Shelbyville, Perryville, and Hillsboro.
   
To receive a copy of the Northern Division docket, contact the Clerk’s office at 314-539-4300 or visit the Court’s web site at www.courts.mo.gov, select Court of Appeals from the Know Your Courts drop down menu, further select “Eastern District” and then “Eastern District Cases Docketed.”