25 August 2015
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission announced today that it is accepting applications for judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, to fill the vacancy created by the August 1, 2015, retirement of Judge Clifford H. Ahrens after nearly 25 years on that court. He was in the private practice of law from 1969 until his February 1991 appointment to the court. He served as the court’s chief judge from July 1996 through June 1997 and was chair of the Missouri Court Automation Committee – which oversees the development of technology in the courts – from 2002 until his retirement.
Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the commission’s consideration. 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. Nominations should be submitted to the commission by e-mail at EDJudgeVacancy@courts.mo.gov or by postal mail to Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District Judge Vacancy, PO Box 150, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The nomination form is available below.
Public nomination form: Word PDF
Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2015. Interested persons may download the application and instructions here.
Application: Word PDF
Instructions for applicants: Word PDF
Guidelines for references: Word PDF
The commission expects to meet Thursday and Friday, November 12 and 13, 2015, at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District at the Old Post Office, 815 Olive Street in St. Louis, to interview applicants and to select a panel of three nominees for the governor’s consideration. The interviews will be open to the public. The names of those to be interviewed and information relating to the number and characteristics of all applicants will be released publicly prior to the beginning of the interviews.
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Note: Links to application materials typically are disabled after the application deadline closes.
Contact: Beth S. Riggert
Communications Counsel
Supreme Court of Missouri
(573) 751-3676