During the annual State of the Judiciary address, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul C. Wilson announced that two long-time members of the state’s highest court are retiring.
Judge Patricia Breckenridge and former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice George W. Draper III will both turn 70 years old this year.
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“Both of them have dedicated their lives – not just to the work of the courts – but to the principles of access, fairness, and equal justice for all; principles that lie at the heart of our justice system,” Wilson told lawmakers.
Under a provision of the Missouri Constitution, if a judge is still in office on their 70th birthday, they forfeit their pension, which encourages the judiciary to retire before their 70th birthday.
Draper was born on Aug. 5 while Breckenridge was born on Oct. 14.
“The courts have benefited immeasurably from their work, and we will miss them dearly,” Wilson said.
Wilson also expressed concern about the welfare of judges.
“Violence and threats of violence toward judges and their families are increasing every day,” he said. “This session, you will be considering several bills aimed at protecting judges’ private information, and I urge you to give them your most careful consideration.”
For example, Senate Bill (SB) 72, introduced by Sen. Curtis Trent (R-Springfield), would criminalize, with a Class D Felony, violations of the Judicial Privacy Act including posting or displaying a judge’s personal information publicly.
“We owe it to those who serve in Missouri’s judiciary not to wait until we learn, in the worst possible way, that we waited too long and did too little,” Wilson said.
Since first imposed in 1994, a $7 filing fee has been allocated to further court automation.
Wilson asked for a renewal.
"It is fair for those using the judicial system to pay a part of the costs of that system, and this $7 filing fee – which has never gone up in the 30 years we’ve had it – provides an essential part of the funding for an essential part of our work. I urge you – actually I’m begging you – to renew this session," Wilson added.
The judicial branch includes 350 trial judges, and more than 3,000 court clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, juvenile officers, juvenile detention officers, and other staff members, according to court data.
Wilson asked the legislature to increase court employee wages by approving the recommended cost-of-living adjustment in the supplemental budget.
“This COLA will help make sure the ground these employees gained in recent years isn’t lost to inflation,” he added. “In addition, we are asking you to fund the overtime court clerks are already working to meet the unprecedented obligations imposed by the passage of Amendment 3 last fall.”
Amendment 3, approved by Missouri voters in Nov. 2022, legalized the possession, cultivation, and licensed retail sale of 3 ounces of recreational cannabis for adults over 21 years old.
The new law, now referred to as Article 14, requires misdemeanor expungements to be completed by June 8 and certain marijuana felonies to be expunged by Dec. 8.