Chief Justice Paul C. Wilson expressed concern about the welfare of judges and military veterans and advocated for competitive court employee compensation this week during a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly in Jefferson City.
“Security risks continue, they’re on the rise, and they are no longer just inside the courthouse,” Wilson said during his March 8 state-of-the-judiciary address. “Those of us in public service are increasingly vulnerable. As public servants, we know we are not and should not be immune from public scrutiny and criticism … it comes with the job. But none of us, or our families, should be put in harm’s way.”
As previously reported, in 2015, a federal judge in Texas survived an attempted killing outside her home and two years ago, a federal judge’s husband was shot and her son killed on the doorstep of their New Jersey home.
“Missouri judges have been harassed online and at home, they’ve been threatened, and they’ve had their personal information posted on the web,” Wilson said. “We appreciate Representative DeGroot’s efforts in this area.”
Although State Rep. Bruce DeGroot's (R-Chesterfield) House Bill 2037 has not yet been scheduled for a House committee hearing, if approved, the Judicial Privacy Act would establish a felony offense for distributing a judge’s personal information or family details online, according to media reports.
“Legislative protections for Missouri’s judges, together with the governor’s budget recommendations you’re now considering, are a good start – and we look forward to working with you on this issue as well,” Wilson said to lawmakers. “Thankfully, security in our courthouses has come a long way since 1992, when a man shot four people in a St. Louis County courtroom and then executed his wife on the witness stand.”
This is the first year the state-of-the-judiciary conference occurred face-to-face. In 2021, Wilson delivered the annual address remotely in September rather than March.
“The state of the judicial branch is sound,” he said. “Last year, despite all its challenges, more than 750,000 circuit court cases were resolved. While the pandemic impacted our backlog, its effect was not as big or as widespread as some feared, and we are working to clear it.”
The judicial branch, according to Wilson, includes 350 trial judges, and more than 3,000 court clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, juvenile officers, juvenile detention officers, and other staff members. “On their behalf, I thank you for the cost-of-living increases you have been able to give in recent years and, especially, the one you approved just a few days ago,” he said. “That kind of increase is important to our employees, not merely in terms of buying power, but because it demonstrates that you in this chamber know who they are. You see them, and you proudly recognize the work they do.”
However, Wilson asked lawmakers to increase support.
“All too often, we spend precious tax dollars recruiting and training people, giving them the skills and experience we need them to have, only to see them move to better-paying, private-sector jobs after our training is complete,” he said. “A market-based approach to compensation will give us a fighting chance to attract and keep expert staff in our courtrooms and courthouses.”
Wilson also urged the legislature to fund the expansion of veteran courts.
Missouri, which ranks 9th in the nation as a home for retired military troops, has 12 veteran court programs serving 37 counties.
“It’s time we do more,” Wilson said. “Veteran courts serve only a third of our local jurisdictions, largely clustered around VA hospitals and clinics. Outside of those areas, however, resources are scarce. The simple truth is that veterans who need help throughout most of Missouri will not have access to a veterans court should they find themselves on the wrong side of the law. We can work together to fix this.”