The Sixth Circuit Judicial Commission is accepting applications for the newly created position of Circuit Judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Platte County) created by the passage of the state budget and becoming effective July 1.
Meaning the Platte County Circuit court, which previously had five divisions, will soon be forming a sixth, necessitating the appointment of a new judge, hiring of that judge’s staff, and the allocation of space in the Platte County Courthouse for that courtroom, the judge and his or her staff.
Article V, section 21 of the Missouri Constitution requires that a circuit judge be at least 30 years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri, a citizen of the United States for at least 10 years, a qualified voter in Missouri for the three years preceding selection, and a resident of the Sixth Judicial Circuit for at least one year.
The Commission must receive all completed applications for this vacancy by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
The Commission will meet Friday, Aug. 25 at the Platte County Courthouse to conduct public interviews of the applicants and to select a panel of three nominees for the vacancy.
Further details regarding the interviews will be announced at a later date. Upon receipt of the nominations, Governor Michael L. Parson will have 60 days to appoint one of the three nominees as circuit judge.
Members of the commission are Gary D. Witt, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District; attorneys Mark Ferguson and Jared Welch; and lay members Carla Killen and Julie Elliott.