Two panels of finalists for judgeships on the St. Louis County Circuit Court were referred to Gov. Mike Parson last week.
The 21st Circuit Judicial Commission nominated Matthew H. Hearne, Jeffrey P. Medler, and Krista S. Peyton to replace Judge Joseph S. Dueker.
All three are presently associate circuit judges in St. Louis County.
“People think that associate circuit judges are below the circuit judges, but they actually have a larger area of jurisdiction than the circuit judges sometimes,” said Judge Kelly C. Broniec.
Medler and Peyton garnered unanimous votes among the commission’s five members while Hearne received three votes.
“It seems to make sense that the more votes a person receives, the more important that would be to the governor,” Broniec told the St. Louis Record.
Broniec was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals-Eastern District in 2020 and has since been elected Chief Judge.
“The chief judge of the court of appeals is the chairperson of the judicial commission for the circuits in their district,” Broniec added. “All of my colleagues who have served as Chief Judge of the Eastern District and served as the Chair of the Circuit Judicial Commissions are always constantly impressed with the quality of the applicants we receive.”
The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan was adopted by ballot initiative in the 1940s. It is designed to be a merit-based and non-partisan process for selecting judges. 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.
The commission also nominated family law and bankruptcy attorney Seth A. Albin of Summers Compton Wells, assistant St. Charles County prosecutor Daniel J. Kertz and assistant attorney general Natalie P. Warner for the vacancy left by Judge John R. Lasater who was elevated to the circuit bench.
Kertz and Warner received unanimous votes by the commission while Albin received three votes.
The general public is encouraged to submit commentary on each candidate to the judicial commission.
"When the commission meets and selects the panel of three finalists, they speak publicly when they make that decision and since it's an ongoing process, a lot of the same applicants will apply again for subsequent vacancies, and the finalists for any vacancy who didn't receive the appointment will apply again as well," Broniec said.