7 July 2021

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Sixteenth Circuit Judicial Commission is accepting applications for the position of circuit judge, Division 3 of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit (Jackson County) beginning July 7, 2021.  This position will be created by the upcoming retirement of Judge David M. Byrn, effective July 28, 2021.  Judge Byrn has served as a circuit judge in Division 3 of the Jackson County Circuit Court since September, 2008.

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 Sixteenth Judicial Circuit for at least one year.  

Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the Commission’s consideration.  Nominations should be submitted to the contact person listed below.

For those interested in applying, the application and instructions are available here:

The Commission must receive all completed applications for this vacancy by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.

The Commission will meet Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, 1300 Oak Street, Kansas City, Missouri, to conduct public interviews of the applicants and to select a panel of three nominees for the vacancy.  Further details regarding the interviews, including the manner in which applicants and the public will participate, will be announced at a later date.  Upon receipt of the nominations, Governor Michael L. Parson will have sixty days to appoint one of the three nominees as circuit judge in Division 3 of the Jackson County Circuit Court.  

Members of the commission are Cynthia L. Martin, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District; attorneys Phyllis Norman and Kirk Presley; and lay members Connie Cierpiot and Damon Daniel.

Contact person: Kimberly K. Boeding, Clerk of the Court 

Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District

1300 Oak Street

Kansas City, MO  64106

(816) 889-3600