A list of finalists for a judgeship on the St. Louis County Circuit Court was referred to Gov. Mike Parson last week.
The 21st Circuit Judicial Commission nominated Bridget L. Halquist, Daniel J. Kertz and Nicolette A. Klapp as finalists for an associate circuit judge vacancy created by the recent appointment of Judge Jeffrey P. Medler as a circuit judge.
Halquist is a partner at Summers Compton Wells LLC while Kertz serves as a St. Charles County assistant prosecuting attorney and Klapp works as an attorney at The Buxner Law Firm.
All three candidates received four votes each, according to a Missouri Courts press release.
Gov. Mike Parson is required to make a final decision among the three finalists within 60 days.
“It is very involved and I think it's a very good system,” said Chris Hohn, an attorney at Thompson Coburn law firm, about the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan.
Hohn was recently elected chair of the prestigious St. Louis law firm, effective in August 2024.
For his part, after Parson appointed Medler associate circuit court judge in October 2020, he was retained by St. Louis County voters in 2022.
Medler received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Boston College in 1991 and a law degree from St. Louis University School of Law in 1994.
Before his appointment to the bench, Medler founded the Medler & Roither law firm.
The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan was adopted by ballot initiative in the 1940s. The Court Plan is designed to be a merit-based and non-partisan process for selecting judges.
“I'm a personal proponent of the Missouri Court Plan,” Hohn told the St. Louis Record. “There are many states across the country that look to the Missouri model for selecting judges.”
Halquist earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wilmington College, Master of Science from Chaminade University, and a law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.
Kertz earned an associate degree from Jefferson College, a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.
Klapp earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a law degree from Western Michigan University.
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 judicial commissions are also responsible for selecting nominees for vacancies on the Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeals.
The general public is encouraged to submit commentary on each candidate to the judicial commission.