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Statewide Committee Offers Information about Judges Up for Retention in November

Patrick Feller
/
Flickr

Fifty-nine nonpartisan judges will be up for retention on the November 6 ballot, and the Missouri Judicial Performance Review Committee is helping voters to make informed decisions when they go to the polls.

The committee has reviewed the performance of the 59 judges and has made the information available to the public at YourMissouriJudges.org.

Dale Doerhoff, chair of the statewide committee, said they “want to make sure the people of Missouri have good judges who are fair, impartial and skilled.”

The information includes lawyer surveys, juror surveys of trial judges and written opinions from the judges the committee used in casting their votes.

According to the committee, jurors were asked a series of 10 questions about the judge’s courtroom conduct. They included:  Did the judge clearly explain the legal issues of the case? Did the judge appear to be free from bias? Did the judge appear to be well-prepared for the case?

The lawyers’ survey focused on key traits that judges need to render justice effectively and fairly, the Judicial Performance Review Committee said. Circuit and associate circuit judges were rated in 19 areas, including a wide range of observable skills and traits, such as treating people fairly, competency in the law and writing clear opinions.

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges were rated on a different set of criteria as they decide cases that are appealed because of possible legal errors, either procedural or through misinterpretations of the law. These judges were rated on areas such as whether their opinions were clearly written, whether they adequately explained the basis of the court’s decision and whether they issued opinions in a timely manner.

For all judges, lawyers’ surveys were converted into a numerical score between one and five, with one being the poorest and five being the best.

Brochures with the findings will be available at libraries, courthouses and senior centers across the state. Missouri voters may also request one be mailed to them for free by calling 573-635-4128.  

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.