, finding that she violated professional misconduct rules during the investigation of former Missouri Gov. Additionally, all public discipline imposed by the Supreme Court (since January 1, 2006) is available at the Missouri Supreme Court website. Where can I find the ethics and disciplinary procedure rules that apply to Missouri attorneys? P: (573) 635-4128 | F: (573) 635-2811
I look forward to continuing the critical work of creating a safer, fairer and just St. Louis.. Attorney discipline cases, like civil and criminal cases, are often resolved by agreement (stipulation). 5.31 RECORDS OF INVESTIGATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS (a) Confidential records and proceedings. If this Court dismisses an information, the respondent may move to have records of the information sealed from public access. During Greitens' trial, defense attorney James Martin called Gardner's actions, "gross prosecutorial misconduct." Prior to the year 2000, the first two digits of the opinion number indicated the year. (3) To the presiding judge of each judicial circuit and each chief judge of the court of appeals. (D) Law enforcement agencies acting within the scope of their lawful authority when the confidential records relate to possible criminal conduct; and The duties assigned to The Missouri Bar by the Supreme Court of Missouri do not extend to matters of attorney discipline or professional misconduct. The panel will be recommending to the Missouri Supreme Court if Gardner should lose her law license and her job as prosecutor or face other discipline as a result of alleged misconduct during the Greitens probe. Pratzel's office is responsible for investigating ethical complaints against Missouri lawyers. 0000000016 00000 n
PO Box 119, 326 Monroe Jefferson City, MO 65102-0119 P: (573) 635-4128 | F: (573) 635-2811 mobar@mobar.org. The disciplinary process itself is outlined in Supreme Court Rule 5. (a) Confidential records and proceedings. 0000001289 00000 n
The formal opinions and informal advisory opinions through June 30, 1994, are included in a deskbook entitled Missouri Advisory Opinions published by The Missouri Bar in 1995. Office of Disciplinary Counsel The Supreme Court of Ohio. Informal advisory opinions cannot be issued on hypotheticals or regarding the conduct of an attorney other than the one asking for the opinion. Gardner had emailed her bullet-point notes to Tisaby before he interviewed K.S. (4) Nothing in this Rule 5.31(d) compels the chief disciplinary counsel to make confidential records available under Rule 5.31(d)(3) without a subpoena and court order. Betsy AuBuchon, Clerk Supreme Court of Missouri At the heart of the agreement with Pratzel is five pages of a document of bullet-pointed thoughts that Gardner made after interviewing a woman who had an extramarital affair with Greitens in 2015, Gardner told the panel in April. (b) Public documents and proceedings. Will I be informed of the progress of my complaint? Opinions included in the deskbook and supplement are indexed by topic and include an annotation to the particular rule(s) involved. Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.31 sets out which records and procedures of the Missouri Supreme Court discipline process are public and which parts are confidential. Mark and Patricia McCloskey drawing their firearms on the crowd marching toward St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's home last month. After a hearing, the Disciplinary Hearing Panel prepares a Report, containing findings, conclusions and a recommendation for sanctions. Legal Statement. Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline of Judges. 2190 South Mason Road Suite 201 St. Louis, MO 63131 Phone: (314)-966-1007 Fax: (314)-966-0076 Email: jim.smith@courts.mo.gov . If a party files objections, the Court will schedule the case for oral argument. Kim Gardner to face disciplinary panel Monday over claims, Eric Greitens' hopes for a U.S. Senate seat hinge on how, Kim Gardner unlikely to lose law license over claims. (5) All social security numbers and financial account numbers shall be redacted from any materials that are public except for the last four digits of such numbers. She has said she took his advice on what to include on the log and believed that Dierker and Greitens attorneys had agreed on what should be included. Requesting a Formal Opinion of the Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee. The Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel investigates and prosecutes allegations of violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct by attorneys in Colorado. They had accused Gardner of allowing the private investigator she hired to commit perjury and withhold evidence. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. (2) All confidential records shall be deposited with the chief disciplinary counsel. . But Circuit Judge David Mason denied the motion on Friday and set trial for Nov. 1. Learn More Report an Attorney File a complaint against an attorney. As are all PDF documents, you will need the free-to-download Adobe Reader to view them. In order to protect the public, the Supreme Court oversees a mechanism for . xb```b`` |@16 x( All rights reserved. The search engine allows you to search the opinions themselves using keywords or phrases. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for two lawsuits that have frozen President Joe Biden's federal student loan debt relief plan, which could cancel up to $20,000 in debt per . She also claims. (2) The advisory committee may adopt regulations regarding media access and the recording of open disciplinary hearings subject to approval by this Court. The professional conduct of attorneys is governed by Supreme Court Rule 4 and the discipline process is governed by Supreme Court Rule 5. The Newsletter Bringing the Legal System to Light. Main Document: Aug 28 2018: . In asking the Supreme Court, which has oversight over lawyer disciplinary issues, to sanction them, Missouri Chief Disciplinary Counsel Alan D. Pratzel said the misdemeanors to which the. Supreme Court of Missouri public disciplinary actions since 2006 are available online here. The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in two challenges to President Joe Biden's student debt relief plan, with several conservative justices appearing skeptical of the government's . The court's decision marks the final step in an ethics probe that began in July 2018. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. (A) The commission on retirement, removal and discipline when the confidential records relate to a possible violation of Rule 2; or redistributed. (E) Other persons as reasonably necessary to perform duties under this Rule 5. 401 20
(d) Permissible disclosure of confidential records. All three orders were issued July 3 by Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Zel M. Fischer. The time it takes to complete the investigation and action on a disciplinary complaint varies.In most cases, if a complaint is dismissed, the complainant will be informed of the action within six months.However, any complaint that leads to the imposition of discipline may take much longer.Matters that go through formal charges and a hearing can take more than a year to reach a final disposition. Shortly after jury selection began in May 2018, a judge ordered Gardner to provide a statement under oath at the request of Greitens attorneys. Rule 4-8.4 - Misconduct. These are for viewing only, and we guarantee no warranty on them. Box 2297 Bismarck, ND 58502-2297 Cases will stay on this list while pending before a disciplinary hearing panel. Oklahoma There will be a reasonable charge for providing records in paper format, including by fax. Gardner has previously said the person in charge of compiling the privilege log for the judge during the 2018 Greitens investigation was her chief trial assistant, Robert Dierker, who had formerly been the presiding judge of the 22nd Circuit (where the Greitens case was being heard) and a judge for more than 30 years before joining her team. Viets has agreed in the years after the case that there was a conflict of interest, and the Missouri Supreme Court will decide what sort of discipline should be imposed on him a. 0
Learn how to file a grievance against an attorney. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Center for Professional Responsibility, Alabama State Bar. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. It is not a substitute for bringing criminal charges against a lawyer for unlawful conduct (under the criminal statutes) or a civil action against a lawyer to collect damages or get money returned. 401 0 obj <>
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The Missouri Supreme Court has declared in a newly adopted Comment on Rule 4-1.2 of the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct that it will discipline attorneys who either participate directly or advise and assist others in taking actions pursuant to Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution, Missouri's Medical Marijuana Law. To request media coverage of a scheduled hearing, please send afax to (573)635-8806, or mail your request to 3335 American Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65109. As he attempted a political comeback in this years Republican Senate primary, Greitens hyped the Tisaby plea and ethics case against Gardner as proof he had been the target of a politically motivated investigation. 0000001936 00000 n
Examples of misconduct which may draw disciplinary action are: neglect (failure to communicate, failure to perform agreed upon duties, delay, etc. Office of the Disciplinary Administrator. Rule 4-8.3 - Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession - Reporting Professional Misconduct. Feb. 5, 2021. Make your practice more effective and efficient with Casetexts legal research suite. Jefferson City, MO 65102-0119
The next hearing will be in June. She also claims Greitens admitted to her in late January 2021 that he had in fact taken the photo of K.S. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. To request records regarding cases, please send afax to (573)635-8806, or mail your request to 3335 American Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Wampler's case is now before. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The document was obtained when a dozen police officers raided her office during the Tisaby investigation. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner Tuesday and fined her $750, finding that she violated professional misconduct rules during the investigation of former Missouri Gov. The Supreme Court of Missouri Historical Database provides an index and abstract of the criminal and civil court cases that were appealed to the territorial Superior Court and state Supreme Court of Missouri up to 1874, and a partial listing of cases to 1889. Gardner later made national headlines in a separate investigation into Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were indicted by a St. Louis grand jury in October on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. Complaints regarding Missouri judges can be filed by anyone and are heard by the Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline. While representing a litigant in an appeal, she filed two motions seeking extensions of time on which she had forged the notary public's signature block. Dyer also was ordered to pay costs in the matter.
An investigation launched in 2019 by the office of Alan Pratzel, the chief disciplinary counsel appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court, has found probable cause that Gardner committed. The Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel is authorized to investigate: 1. (e) Dissemination of disciplinary information. 0000005596 00000 n
Finally, if, after investigation,the OCDC or any Regional Disciplinary Committee determines probable cause to believe that a violation has occurred and that anadmonition is insufficient (or if an attorney rejects an admonition), an Information (charge) is filed with the Advisory Committee pursuant to Rule 5.12. In an unrelated discipline, attorney Kevin Todd Cure of Galena, Kansas, has been indefinitely suspended following a Missouri Supreme Court order after several DUI convictions, including one last month. The purpose of attorney discipline is to protect the public and the administration of justice from attorneys who have not discharged their professional duties to clients, the public, the legal system, and the legal profession. Avoiding Complaints (Practice Assistance), Complain or Report Professional Misconduct, Rule 5 Missouri Attorney Disciplinary Process, Public Discipline Imposed since January 1, 2006, Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct (Rule 4), Missouri Rules for Disciplinary Proceedings (Rule 5), Missouri Rules for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, Contact List for States Attorney Discipline Agencies, How Attorney Discipline Works: Insight into the OCDCS Complaint Review and Sanction Analysis, Why You Should Not Represent Criminal Codefendants, Self Audit 2021 FINAL(from MOBAR JOURNAL), Ethical Considerations Amid a Pandemic-MOBAR. The Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge presides over formal complaints against attorneys. Calendar of Scheduled Hearings Before A Disciplinary Hearing Panel: Disciplinary hearings are scheduled by the presiding officer of the hearing panel pursuant to Rule 5.15. LOCATIONChief Disciplinary Counsel3327 American AvenueJefferson City, MO 65109-1016, Laura E. Elsbury, Chief Disciplinary Counsel3327 American AvenueJefferson City, MO 65109-1016, Home | About OCDC | How to Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map. At least 60 lawyers are calling on the Missouri Supreme Court to investigate the actions of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo. (B) Deliberations of and work product prepared by the chief disciplinary counsel, the chief disciplinary counsels staff, the advisory committee, and the regional disciplinary committees. DEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy. An investigation launched in 2019 by the office of Alan Pratzel, the chief disciplinary counsel appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court, has found probable cause that Gardner committed professional misconduct during her past attempts to prosecute former Republican Gov. Mark and Patricia McCloskey join 'Hannity' after grand jury indicts them on gun charges. We are confident that a full review of the facts will show that the Circuit Attorney has not violated the ethical standards of the State of Missouri.". Status of Missouri Supreme Court cases can be tracked at: Casenet or at the Courts own website by the docket, minutes and decisions. After Gardner bowed out of the invasion of privacy case, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker took it over. Prior to the year 2000, the first two digits of the opinion number indicated the year. by Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent August 30, 2022. Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.315 provides that all communications relating to alleged misconduct and all testimony given in a proceeding conducted pursuant to the Rules shall be absolutely privileged if submitted in good faith and the person making the communication shall be immune from suit based upon such communication. Party name: Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Missouri: Other: Jean Ann Maneke Counsel of Record: The Maneke Law Group, LC 2345 Grand Blvd., Ste. trailer
Rule 4-8.2 - Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession - Judicial and Legal Officials. . Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Eric Greitens, KMOV reported. This site is brought to you by The Missouri Bar and is dedicated to improving the legal profession, the law and the administration of justice for all Missourians. The Supreme Court Advisory Committee in this context sits as a kind of appellate body that reviews the record that the disciplinary committee has assembled and either says, "Yes, An admonition is available to the public when accepted by the lawyer, or when it is deemed accepted, fifteen days from issuance, if the lawyer has not affirmatively accepted it. Pratzel stated that her notes should have been added to a privilege log or a list of documents that Gardners team believed werent required by law to be given to Greitens attorneys. Cure previously pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in March 2014, also in Jasper County, according to the order. 0000005839 00000 n
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0119
You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Eric Greitens. 573.635.4128 If the violation of the Rules is serious enough that the lawyer should be disbarred, suspended or reprimanded by the Supreme Court of Missouri, formal charges and a formal disciplinary proceeding must take place and the matter will normally go to a hearing before a Disciplinary Hearing Panel. If your complaint is opened, investigated and then dismissed upon a finding of no probable cause, the Rules provide you with an opportunity to request a review by the Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee. Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee, which is another body that oversees the disciplinary process and works closely within the process. %PDF-1.4
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For the Public About the Disciplinary Board The mission of the Disciplinary Board is to protect the public, maintain the integrity of the legal profession, and safeguard the reputation of the courts. When a person licensed to practice law in Missouri is the subject of public controversy, The Missouri Bar routinely receives phone calls, email correspondence, and social media messages from citizens sharing their concerns and requesting action by The Missouri Bar. The Supreme Court of Missouri has the authority to disbar, suspend, or discipline a lawyer licensed in Missouri for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct (Supreme Court Rule 4). ); trust violations (embezzlement of funds entrusted to a lawyer by or for a client); conflict of interest; and misleading advertising. Request for Records for Cases Before A Disciplinary Hearing Panel: Pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.31,all requests for copies of or access to records must be made in writing to this office as required by Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.1255. The 1969 Supreme Court case of Tinker v. Des Moines found that freedom of speech must be protected in public schools, provided the show of expression or opinionwhether verbal or symbolicis not disruptive to learning. Contact Webmaster. Therefore, these summaries should be used only for general guidance. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, . Having sufficiently considered the information and motion for final order of discipline and the response to the show cause order, the Court finds that Respondent, Mark T. McCloskey, is subject to discipline pursuant to Rule 5.21in that, on June 17, 2021, Respondent pleaded guilty to the class C misdemeanor of assault in the fourth degree in the Supreme Court of Missouri public disciplinary actions since 2006 are available online here. St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, Dyer was placed on interim suspension following a Missouri Supreme Court order last July, St. Louis top prosecutor declines to resign despite the AG's lawsuit to remove her, Secretary of State asked to end links to a mysterious election management system, GOP state rep faces censorship for plotting to diversify traditional marriage with a resolution, St. Louis divorcee granted limit on Guardian Ad Litem's wage garnishment, Missouri AG leads 19 states in opposing mail-ordered abortion pill sales while Oregon leads 23 AGs in support of CVS, Walgreens, Boone County prosecutor suspended over inappropriate texts with women linked to his cases, McCloskeys land pro bono work that meet their probation requirement, Attorney who allegedly misappropriated Trump inauguration day prayer breakfast settlement funds reciprocally disbarred, Phoenix attorney reciprocally disciplined in Missouri following suspension in Arizona. Missouri Gov. Now, the first four digits indicate the year. The clerk of the Supreme Court is responsible for a wide range of duties, including the supervision of the internal administrative function of the Court itself as well as the planning and administrative direction of the Missouri Judicial Conference, the organization of all the state's judges. This service is free to readers and other news outlets. All disciplinary hearing panel cases are filed with the Supreme Court of Missouri unless they are dismissed at the disciplinary hearing panel level or if the disciplinary hearing panel administers a written admonition that is accepted by the Chief Disciplinary Counsel and the Respondent. Jefferson City, MO 65102-0119 The attorney may be given an admonition for relatively minor violations where the conduct does not warrant removing the lawyer from the practice of law. Formal charges filed October 2, 2013 It was eventually dropped, citing statutes of limitation that had or were about to pass and potentially missing evidence. 0000003201 00000 n
To Kimberly Diei, a pharmacy graduate student at the University of Tennessee, her posts on Twitter and Instagram were well within the bounds of propriety. This database is made possible by a partnership between the Missouri State Archives . She was just having fun . Zahnd publicly criticized letter . Per Rule 5.31, the case record becomes public at that time. Experts believe the outcome could have major implications for legal precedent . ); trust violations (embezzlement of funds entrusted to a lawyer by or for a client); conflict of interest; and misleading advertising. The informal advisory opinions dating back to July 1, 1993, are online. Do I have to wait until your office takes final action on my complaint before trying to find a new attorney to represent me? This spring, Greitens ex-wife filed an affidavit as part of a child custody dispute alleging he had been physically abusive to her and their children. The McCloskeys, two married defense attorneys in their 60s, were seen in viral photographs with guns outside their mansion as demonstrators marched through their private St. Louis neighborhood on the way to the home of then-Mayor Lyda Krewson on June 28 amid nationwide protests in response to the death of George Floyd. Formal opinions published since 1996 are available on the Supreme Court of Missouris website. The report suggested the governor also blackmailed the woman and threatened to release a photo depicting her partially nude if she exposed their relationship. (If either the OCDC or the Respondent attorney fails to accept the DHP decision and recommendation, the Court typically sets the cases for briefing and argument.). "Despite several investigations attempting to uncover illegal wrongdoing by her office in this case, none has ever been found. Protected by Google ReCAPTCHA. P: (573) 635-4128 | F: (573) 635-2811
The investigation includes a process of notifying the lawyer of the complaint and giving him or her opportunity to respond.The complainant will be given an opportunity to further comment on the attorneys response.If it is determined by the OCDC or a Regional Disciplinary Committee that no probable cause exists to conclude that a violation of the Rules has occurred, the complaint will be dismissed.If, however, it is determined that a violation has occurred and that discipline should be imposed after an investigation, there are two possibilities: Anyone can find out if a Missouri attorney has a record of public discipline by contacting the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Although an effort has been made to summarize the important facts of the question, not all details are included in each summary. Contrary to common belief, it is the Supreme Court of Missouri, not The Missouri Bar or any other bar association, which is in charge of the state's lawyer discipline system. (B) The board of law examiners when the confidential records relate to the qualifications of an applicant for admission; on Jan. 29, 2018 on video a recording that was given to the defense. The purpose of the attorney discipline process is to protect the public and maintain the integrity of the legal profession. The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the law licenses of two St. Louis lawyers who pointed guns at police brutality protesters, but paused the suspensions if they complete a year of . Facebook; (1) Confidential records may be inspected only by the advisory committee, chief disciplinary counsel, members of the regional disciplinary committee conducting an investigation, the person complained against or that persons duly authorized representative, unless otherwise ordered by this Court. Dyer's suspension was effective immediately. Durfee, 375 U.S. at 109, 84 S.Ct. 420 0 obj<>stream
Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But Gardner claimed she did not have an obligation to do so because she was not representing Tisaby at the time. The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel publishes a flow chart of the possible process from the intake of a complaint all the way through the Supreme Court of Missouri. (1) All proceedings and the records of all proceedings under this Rule 5 shall be confidential except as otherwise provided in this Rule 5.31. Disciplinary Board of the Hawai'i Supreme Court Office of Disciplinary Counsel 201 Merchant Street, Suite 1600 Honolulu, HI 96813 (888) 206-5622 (808) 521-4591 Website: https://dbhawaii.org/ IDAHO Bar Counsel for the Idaho State Bar Post Office Box 895 Boise, ID 83701 Phone: (208) 334-4500 Fax: (208) 334-2764 Website: www.isb.idaho.gov ILLINOIS Requests must be received within 30-days of the decision to close the file.If the Advisory Committee agrees with the dismissal, it will close the file.If it disagrees and finds that the complaint has merit, it will assign the complaint for reinvestigation. For attorneys wishing copies of their own public discipline records, they may contact the Office of Bar Counsel at (702) 382-2200 or 1-800-254-2797. The court filings for formal charges against judges are below. Pratzal alleges Gardner should have corrected the record when Tisaby failed to acknowledge in court that he received documentation from Gardner about the Greitens case before interviewing Greitens accuser the basis of Tisabys misdemeanor plea. 0000000710 00000 n
Missouri Supreme Court Rule 4 (Rules of Professional Conduct) The courts decision marks the final step in an ethics probe that began in July 2018. Subject to the presiding officer extending or reducing notice times, requests for media coverage shall be made as soon as practicable after the disciplinary hearing is scheduled, but at least five (5) business days in advance of the hearing. Certificates of Good Standing are requested through Western District of Missouri's District Court's CM/ECF system by logging into PACER. Witt). Tisaby has since been charged with six counts of perjury and one count of tampering with evidence after a special prosecutor determined that he had lied under oath. The chief disciplinary counsel also may transmit copies of such records to other tribunals and agencies. Alabama. Cases Pending Before A Disciplinary Hearing Panel: The hearings are also public. Hearings Before A Disciplinary Hearing Panel: Disciplinary hearings are open to the public in accordance with Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.31 and the accompanying Advisory Committee Regulation Re Rule 5.31. (3) A written admonition becomes public upon its acceptance. 0000010086 00000 n
The letter enclosed The high court also ordered Cure to pay costs. The College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, asked the high court to block a Department of Housing and Urban Development directive that adds "gender identity" to the definition of . Or, if you wish, you may designate a specific opinion number. Greitens was unable to convince enough Republicans to give him another chance, however, and came in third in the Aug. 2 primary. Justices are appointed by the governor with the assistance of a commission who has no majority of members selected either by the governor or the state Bar Association. Who will make the decision on my complaint? Last month, the attorney representing the McCloskeys, Joel Schwartz, filed a motion seeking to send the case back to the grand jury to decide if the couple should have been indicted in the first place, citing alleged "bias" at Gardners office that he said tainted the grand jury process. 0000002839 00000 n
Mike Parson, a Republican, previously called Gardners action toward the couple "outrageous.". At that point, unless the OCDC accepts a Hearing Panel recommendation for dismissal of the charges, the complete record of the hearing, the charges, and the decision are filed at the Supreme Court. A protective order may be issued upon application and for good cause shown in order to protect the interests of a complainant, witness, third party, or respondent. Toll Free: 1-800-589-5256 P: 614-387-9700 F: 614-387-9709. The courts decision marks the final step in an ethics probe that began in July 2018. Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.31 sets out which records and procedures of the Missouri Supreme Court discipline process are public and which parts are confidential. Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee & Legal Ethics Counsel. %%EOF
1600 Kansas City, MO 64108 No, you should take whatever action you need in order to protect your interests. In Missouri, state supreme court justices are selected through assisted appointment with a hybrid judicial nominating commission. The Missouri Independent is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to relentless investigative journalism and daily reporting that sheds light on state government and its impact on the lives of Missourians. The six-member commission, which is comprised of two lawyers, two judges and two citizens, votes on how each case will proceed in a closed-door meeting.