18 September 2007

ST. LOUIS – 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, Eastern District. The vacancy exists due to the retirement of Gary M. Gaertner Sr., which was effective Aug. 10, 2007.

In alphabetical order, the panel consists of the Honorable Gary M. Gaertner Jr., Kurt S. Odenwald and Thomas B. Weaver.

Gaertner is a circuit judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit (St. Louis County). He was born in December 1964 in St. Louis. He earned his bachelor of science degree in economics, magna cum laude, in 1987 and his law degree, cum laude, in 1990, both from Saint Louis University. Gaertner lives in St. Louis.

Odenwald is a partner in the St. Louis law firm of Guilfoil Petzall & Shoemake LLC. He was born in November 1954 in St. Louis. He earned his bachelor of science degree in political science, magna cum laude, in 1976 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and his law degree, cum laude, in 1979 from Saint Louis University School of Law. Odenwald lives in St. Louis.

Weaver is a partner in the St. Louis law firm of Armstrong Teasdale LLP. He was born in October 1951 in St. Louis. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in English, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in 1974 from Duke University and his law degree, magna cum laude, in 1978 from Saint Louis University School of Law. Weaver lives in Glendale.

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.

Demographic information: There were 20 applicants for this vacancy. Of these, there were four women and 16 men; there was one African-American and 19 non-minorities; and there were nine who work in the private sector, 10 who work in the public sector and one who works in both. The applicants' mean age was 54.

Note: The governor appointed Odenwald to fill this vacancy.

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

Contact: Beth S. Riggert

Communications Counsel

Supreme Court of Missouri

(573) 751-3676