19 December 2022

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The 31st Circuit Judicial Commission conducted four days of public hearings, interviewed 21 applicants, and selected a panel of three nominees for the position of circuit judge of the 31st Judicial Circuit, created by the December 2022 retirement of the Honorable Jason R. Brown. The nominees are:

Ann Mills, an attorney with Courtney & Mills law firm;

Kevin James Rapp, an attorney with Aleshire, Robb & Rapp law firm; and

Daniel R. Wichmer, executive director of Legal Services of Southern Missouri.

The commission believes these three 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. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 10.20, the commission notes the final votes received by each nominee after two hours of deliberation were: Mills received four votes, Rapp received five votes, and Wichmer received five votes.

The complete applications for the three nominees will be posted on the Missouri Courts website at www.courts.mo.gov. 

The commission has submitted the panel to Governor Michael Parson, who will have 60 days to appoint one of the nominees as circuit judge.

The commission is chaired by Chief Judge Jack Goodman of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, and is composed of attorneys Deborah Dodge and Kurt Larson, and lay members Kim Hancock and Dr. Fred McQueary.

Note: Links to the nominees' applications typically are disabled after the governor makes his appointment. 

Contact: Craig Street, clerk of the court

Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District

(417) 895-6811