24 September 2009

ST. LOUIS – At an annual ceremony honoring service to Missouri and the state’s judiciary, Supreme Court of Missouri Chief Justice William Ray Price Jr. honored 19 individuals for their contributions to protecting and improving the administration of justice in Missouri.  The ceremony was held this morning as part of the annual meeting of the Judicial Conference of Missouri, the organization of all state judges, which is being held in conjunction with the annual meeting of The Missouri bar at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in downtown St. Louis.

“This morning we honor those who have taken the time to work with the judiciary, to understand the issues that are important to the administration of justice, and to help guide those priorities through committee and floor debates in the Missouri legislature,” Price said. “The judges of Missouri are pleased to continue the tradition of thank these public officials for their contributions to the courts and to the state.”

The Judicial Conference honored 18 legislators – five of them serving their first term in the General Assembly – with Special Recognition Awards for outstanding legislative service to the people of Missouri. Accepting awards this morning were Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee’s Summit; Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon; Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg; Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale; Rep. Rachel Bringer, D-Palmyra; Rep. Don Calloway, D-St. Louis; Rep. Mike Colona, D-St. Louis; Rep. John Diehl, R-Town & Country; Rep. Tim Flook, R-Liberty; Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka; Rep. Beth Low, D-Kansas City; and Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City.

The Judicial Conference recognized Bartle – an attorney, chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Criminal & Civil Jurisprudence Committee, and member of the joint committee on court automation – for his quick thinking in leading to the Senate’s passage of the judicial omnibus bill in the final minutes of the legislative session as well as his eloquent analysis on the Senate floor about the disagreements about judicial selection, which did much to move that debate forward.

Goodman – an attorney and chairman of the Senate General Laws Committee – was commended for his willingness to tackle the most complex issues affecting the administration of justice, including challenges facing the public defender system, sentencing issues, and smaller but equally critical issues such as redacting private information from court filings.

Pearce – chairman of the Educated Citizenry 2020 Committee and vice-chairman of the Senate Education Committee – was recognized for continuing to protect the judiciary from political influence after transitioning this year from the House into the Senate and for reaching out to the judiciary about issues related to the administration of justice.

Schmitt – an attorney and chairman of two Senate committees, one for health, mental health, seniors and families and the other for veterans’ affairs, pensions and urban affairs – was honored for being a go-to legislator for feedback about Judicial Conference priorities and for his protection of the judiciary from political influence. Schmitt was a freshman legislator.

The Judicial Conference recognized Bringer – an attorney, a long-serving member of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the joint committee on court automation – for working diligently during session to pass the judicial omnibus bill as well as legislation allowing private information to be redacted from court filings.

Calloway and Colona – attorneys and members of the House Special Committee on General Laws – both were commended for their work, during committee hearings and on the House floor, in protecting the judiciary from political influence; for supporting the Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials’ recommendations; and for providing essential feedback about a number of Judicial Conference priorities. Both were freshman legislators.

Diehl – an attorney and member of the House Judiciary Committee – was recognized for protecting the judiciary from political influence and for providing clarifying input about a number of proposals pending before his committee. Diehl also was a freshman legislator.

Flook – an attorney and chairman of the House Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development – was recognized for steering major economic development legislation while still providing substantial support for Judicial Conference legislative priorities; contributing to the session-long effort to pass the judicial omnibus bill; supporting the Citizens’ Commission on Compensation recommendations; and providing essential feedback about such proposals as redacting private information from case filings and expanding the use of videoconferencing in the courts.

Low – a long-serving member of the House Special Committee on General Laws – was honored for championing judicial independence for the third year in a row during committee hearings and for providing a voice of restraint during committee debate and making inquiries about proposed changes that have been productive in moving the debate forward.

The Judicial Conference recognized Stevenson – an attorney, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and member of the joint committee on court automation – for accommodating the judiciary’s priorities throughout the legislative session. Stevenson’s leadership was credited for the passage of the first judicial omnibus bill in years, which contained numerous pieces of legislation that are critical to the administration of justice in Missouri. Stevenson also supported the Citizens’ Commission recommendations and protected the judiciary from political influence.

Also receiving awards but unable to attend were: Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City; Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter; Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin; Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia; and Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence; and Rep. Scott Lipke, R-Jackson.

The Judicial Conference recognized Justus – an attorney and the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee – for her consistent willingness to work for the judiciary about a number of issues, not the least of which involves protecting judicial independence. Mayer – an attorney and vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee – was honored for sponsoring the successful legislation to extend the sunset on the court automation fee, protecting the judiciary from political influence and being a go-to legislator for feedback about Judicial Conference priorities. Nodler – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and member of the joint committee on court automation – was recognized for restoring the judiciary’s fiscal 2010 budget back to fiscal 2009 levels after the governor’s office and House Appropriations Committee both recommended significant reductions. Schaefer – an attorney and freshman legislator with a long history of previous public service – was honored for his strong defense of the quality of the Missouri judiciary during hearings in the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee, of which he is a member. Shoemyer was recognized for his affable style during debates about a variety of judicial issues that brought clarity and levity to discussions on the Senate floor. Lipke – an attorney and chairman of the House Crime Prevention Committee – was honored for his long support of the Missouri Plan and for his efforts during the last session to incorporated judicial priorities such as updating videoconferencing requirements into the omnibus crime bill and to support the recommendations of the Citizens’ Commission on Compensation.

In addition, Price gave special recognition to the Hon. Harold (Hal) Lowenstein, who retired Aug. 17 – the day before turning 70, Missouri’s mandatory retirement age for judges – after spending nearly four decades in public service across all three branches of government. Lowenstein, of Kansas City, was an assistant attorney general for two years before serving in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1973 to 1981, when he was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. During his distinguished career, he received the Kansas City Spirit Award, The Missouri Bar President’s Award and the Daily Record Legal Leader of the Year award for community service. On behalf of the Judicial Conference, Price awarded Lowenstein with a mantle clock recognizing Lowenstein for his “years of dedication and excellence in serving as chair of the legislative committee of the Judicial Conference of Missouri.”

Price and the Judicial Conference also honored Thomas M. Burke, the outgoing president of The Missouri Bar, for his service to the state, the bar and the judiciary during the past year.

About 125 judges attended the ceremony.

Contact: Beth S. Riggert
Communications Counsel
Supreme Court of Missouri
Cell: (573) 864-1966