When embattled St. Louis associate judge Nicole Zellweger was nominated to replace Judge Renee Hardin-Tammons in December 2022, she became one of three Judicial Commission nominees under the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan.
The other nominees for the role were associate judges John R. Lasater and Jeffrey P. Medler, and despite opposition from disgruntled adjudicated parents, Gov. Mike Parson appointed Zellweger to the circuit bench on Jan. 27.
“I don't feel like she's earned this position at all,” said Michelle Perotta who lost custodial rights for her 7-year-old daughter. “It was premature giving her a position as a circuit judge because she doesn't have enough experience.”
Zellweger was appointed as an associate judge in April 2018.
In Perotta v. Perotta divorce and custody proceedings, Perotta had both Lasater and Zellweger on her case as judges.
Currently, Perotta has supervised visits with her daughter once a week and every other weekend.
“Nicole Zellweger refused to put anything on the record because she didn’t want accountability even though every hearing has to be on the record, but she never once did that,” Perotta said in an interview. “There were times when we filed motions to make sure we had it on the record, and she also refused to let parties be at hearings. My attorney would file motions for me to be present and she would still say no, even though that's against the law.”
Under the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, judicial commissions for each district review applications, and interview candidates before selecting three nominees from which the governor appoints one person. Gov. Parson has 60 days to select a candidate. The general public is encouraged to submit commentary on each candidate to the judicial commission.
“I had her during her first year and she did not know anything about the law,” Perotta told the St. Louis Record. “She constantly was asking the attorneys to write briefs on the law explaining it to her so that she didn't have to do the research and look it up. The circuit court will be 100% negatively impacted because she doesn't even know the law.”
Zellweger’s education includes a law degree from Washington University and a Master of Arts from Yale University Divinity School.
As previously reported in the St. Louis Record, Perotta is a domestic violence and family advocate and licensed social worker.
"There's been an extreme emotional impact," she added. "I've been traumatized and my daughter's been traumatized."