21 September 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission now is accepting applications for the position of judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, to fill the vacancy created by the September 11, 2007, retirement of Judge Phillip R. Garrison. Garrison served on the Southern District since 1992.

Interested persons may download the application from the Your Missouri Courts website under Judicial Vacancies beginning today. Please be certain you use only the application named "Court of Appeals, Southern District vacancy application." Applications must be filed by 5 p.m. Friday, November 2, 2007, but earlier submission is encouraged. All applicants, including those who have applied previously for other vacancies, must file a new application.

Persons who applied for the Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ronnie White must submit a new application for the Garrison vacancy. They may, however, at their option, ask the commission to consider the letters of reference and/or writing samples submitted in connection with their White vacancy application in lieu of submitting new letters of reference and/or writing samples.

The commission will conduct interviews of applicants for this position on Monday and Tuesday, November 26 and 27, 2007, in Springfield. Additional interviews will not be scheduled for those persons whom the commission previously interviewed in 2007 in connection with their applications for vacancies on other courts.

On Tuesday, November 27, 2007, the commission will meet in Springfield to select a panel of three persons to nominate to the governor for the Garrison opening.

The Missouri Constitution requires that a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals be at least 30 years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri, a United States citizen for at least 15 years and a qualified Missouri voter for at least nine years next preceding selection, and a resident of the court of appeals district in which he or she serves.

Note: Links to application materials typically are disabled after the application deadline passes.

Contact: Beth S. Riggert

Communications Counsel

Supreme Court of Missouri

(573) 751-3676