29 January 2004

ST. LOUIS – The Twenty-First Judicial Circuit Commission has announced a panel of nominees for the position of circuit judge in St. Louis County. The circuit judge vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Susan Block.

Those nominated by the commission are: Richard C. Bresnahan, the Honorable Michael D. Burton and the Honorable Gloria Clark Reno.

Bresnahan received a bachelor degree in business administration from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in 1967, and his juris doctorate degree from the University of Missouri School of  Law in 1973.  He has actively maintained a practice while being a municipal judge for the city of Town and Country. He is presently a sole practitioner in Clayton.  

Burton has been an associate circuit judge for the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit since 1999. Prior to taking the bench, he was a partner with the law firm of Margulis, Grant, Burt and Margulis PC in Clayton, Missouri.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1982 and his law degree from Washington University in 1985.

Reno is an associate circuit judge in the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit in St. Louis County, Missouri. She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and she received her juris doctorate degree from St. Louis University School of Law in 1986. Prior to appointment, she was an attorney with the Hale Law Firm and served as a municipal judge for the city of Northwoods.

The commission believes that these candidates chosen from a field of extremely qualified individuals possess those qualities of compassion, intellect and high moral purpose essential to the fair and efficient administration of justice. Each of these people have that trial experience and sense of fairness that the commission knows is required to administer justice to the people of St. Louis County and the State of Missouri and proudly presents these names to Governor Holden for his ultimate decision. The commission is confident that all of these individuals are capable of serving well and honorably if selected by the Governor.

The members of the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit Commission are: Chief Judge Sherri B. Sullivan of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, Daryl L. Cothran, Thomas M. Lang, Matt McCormick, and Gerard Noce.

Update: The governor appointed Michael Burton to fill this vacancy.

Contact: Laura Roy

(314) 340-6968