7 June 2022

ST. LOUIS – The Twenty-Second Circuit Judicial Commission announced the panel of three nominees to be submitted to Governor Michael L. Parson to fill the associate circuit judge vacancy in the city of St. Louis created by the appointment of Judge Thomas McCarthy to the circuit court. Those nominated by the commission are:

Francisco J. Carretero – Carretero graduated in 1986 from the University of Missouri-Columbia and in 1991 from Saint Louis University School of Law. He is a sole practitioner at Frank J. Carretero LLC.

Heather J. Hays – Hays graduated in 1995 from Saint Louis University and in 1998 from Saint Louis  University School of Law. She is partner at Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion LLC.

Rochelle M. Woodiest – Woodiest graduated in 1994 from Iowa State University and in 1999 from Saint Louis University School of Law. She is a commissioner in the 22nd Judicial Circuit.

The commission received 15 applications and interviewed all applicants during two days of public interviews on June 6 and 7, 2022. The commission believes these 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 each of these individuals is capable of serving well and honorably if selected by the governor. Pursuant to Supreme Court of Missouri Rule 10.29, the commission reports the final votes received by each nominee were: Carretero received four votes, Hays received five votes, and Woodiest received three votes.

The members of the Twenty-Second Circuit Judicial Commission are: Judge Sherri B. Sullivan, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, and commission chair; Matthew J. Devoti, Chris Goodson, Andre Harris, and J. Brent Dulle, secretary of the commission.

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

Contact: Laura Roy, clerk of court

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District

(314) 539-4300