24 August 2021

ST. LOUIS – Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 10.28(d), the Twenty-First Circuit Judicial Commission releases the following information relating to applicants for the circuit judge vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael Burton.  There are 19 applicants, of whom eleven indicate they are female, and eight indicate they are male, and four report being minority applicants.  Five presently work in the private sector and fourteen are presently employed in the public sector. The applicants’ mean age is 47.2.

Also pursuant to Rule 10.28(d), the commission announces it will interview all 19 applicants:

Monique D. Abby Eisha Ahmed-Petersen David L. Bryant

Jason A. Denney Ellen W. Dunne Bridget L. Halquist

Ryan C. Hardy Heather S. Heffner John R. Lasater

Virginia W. Lay Erin M. Lueker Amanda B. McNelly

Krista S. Peyton Ian C. Simmons Thomas D. Smith

Dean A. Stark Matthew R. Waltz Natalie P. Warner

D. Kimberly Whittle

The commission expects to interview applicants beginning at 10:00 a.m. September 27 and 28, 2021, at the St. Louis County Court Building, Room 205S (Div. 42), 105 South Central, Clayton, Missouri.  Interviews are open to the public, subject to available seating and compliance with current CDC guidelines; face masks and social distancing are required.  Immediately after the interviews, the commission will meet to select the names of three nominees to send to the governor.  Thereafter, Governor Michael L. Parson will have 60 days to appoint one of the three nominees as circuit judge.   

The members of the Twenty-First Circuit Judicial Commission are: Sherri B. Sullivan, Chief Judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District and Chairman of the Commission; Tiffany Mapp Franklin, William P. Grant, Al Koller III, and Jeffrey D. Sigmund, secretary of the commission.

Contact: Laura Roy, clerk of court

Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District

(314) 539-4300