Missouri’s Appellate Judicial Commission has unanimously chosen its three finalists for a state Supreme Court vacancy. They are Kelly C. Broniec, Michael E. Gardner, and Ginger K. Gooch.
Broniec the chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in St. Louis. She was born in 1971 and lives in Montgomery City. She earned her bachelor of arts, summa cum laude, in business administration from what is now William Woods University in Fulton. Her law degree is from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
Gardner is a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in St. Louis. He was born in 1979 and lives in Cape Girardeau. He earned his bachelor of arts in political science in 2001 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His law degree, cum laude, comes from the MU School of Law.
Gooch is a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, in Springfield. She was born in 1975 and lives in Springfield. She earned her bachelor of arts, summa cum laude, in English and philosophy, law and rhetoric in 1997 from Stephens College in Columbia. Her law degree, cum laude, is from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
The top picks have been submitted to Gov. Mike Parson to choose who he wants to serve on the high court. The governor has 60 days to decide. Should he fail to do so, the Missouri Constitution directs the commission to make the appointment.
The vacancy is a result of Judge George Draper the Third’s retirement this month.
The commission held nearly eight hours of public interviews for the 23 candidates who applied for the job, about three hours of deliberations, and eight rounds of balloting.
The panel is made up of Mary R. Russell, chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, Neil Chanter of Springfield, Connie Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit, Timothy M. Drury of St. Louis, Sally Hargis of Springfield, Thomas K. Neill of St. Louis and Kirk R. Presley of Kansas City.
Whomever the governor does not choose for this Supreme Court vacancy could potentially be considered for the next one. Judge Patricia Breckenridge is retiring in October.
Copyright © 2023 · Missourinet
