25 October 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Laura Denvir Stith, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri and chair of the Appellate Judicial Commission, announced today that the commission has submitted to Governor Matt Blunt its panel of nominees to fill a vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. The vacancy exists due to the August 1, 2007, retirement of Judge Robert G. Ulrich, who had served on the Western District since 1989.

In alphabetical order, the panel consists of Alok Ahuja, the Honorable Joseph P. Dandurand and Cynthia L. Reams Martin.

Ahuja is a partner with the Kansas City law firm of Lathrop & Gage, L.C. He was born in January 1964 in Raipur, India. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in English and philosophy, with highest distinction and Phi Beta Kappa, in 1985 from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, and his law degree in 1988 from Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut. Ahuja lives in Lee's Summit.

Dandurand is the presiding judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit (Cass and Johnson counties). He was born in June 1956 in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He earned his bachelor of science degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting in 1977 from what is now the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. and his law degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Dandurand lives in Warrensburg.

Martin is in the solo practice of law in Lee's Summit. She was born in July 1959 in Clinton. She earned bachelor of arts degrees in communications and psychology, summa cum laude, in 1981 from William Jewell College in Liberty and her law degree in 1984 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, where she was valedictorian. Martin lives in Lee's Summit.

Blunt has 60 days to select one member of the panel to fill the vacancy. If the governor should fail to do so, the Missouri Constitution directs the commission to make the appointment.

Note: The governor appointed Joseph Dandurand to fill this vacancy.

Demographic information: There were 31 applicants for this vacancy. Of these, there were five women and 26 men; there was one African-American, one Indian-American and 29 non-minorities; and there were 13 who work in the private sector and 18 who work in the public sector. The applicants' mean age was 48.

Contact: Beth S. Riggert

Communications Counsel

Supreme Court of Missouri

(573) 751-3676