The Twenty-First Circuit Judicial Commission announces the panel of three nominees to be submitted to Governor Michael Kehoe to fill the associate circuit judge vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Amanda B. McNelley as circuit judge. Those nominated by the commission are:
Bridget L. Halquist – Halquist earned her bachelor of arts in 1992 from Wilmington College and obtained her law degree in 1999 from Saint Louis University School of Law. She is an attorney and managing member of Summers Compton Wells LLC.
Jeffery T. McPherson – McPherson earned his bachelor of arts in 1990 from Southern Illinois University and obtained his law degree in 1994 from Saint Louis University School of Law. He is a lawyer in private practice at Armstrong Teasdale LLP.
Justin W. Ruth – Ruth earned his bachelor of arts in psychology in 1997 from the University of Virginia and obtained his law degree in 2001 from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. He is a principal attorney at Riezman Berger PC.
The commission received 15 applications and interviewed all applicants during one day of public interviews on January 15, 2025. The commission believes these candidates, chosen from a field of extremely qualified individuals, possess those qualities essential to the fair and efficient administration of justice. The commission is confident each of these individuals is capable of serving well and honorably if selected by the governor. Pursuant to Supreme Court of Missouri Rule 10.29, the commission reports the final votes received by each nominee were: Halquist received five votes, McPherson received three votes, and Ruth received four votes. Matt Reh recused himself from considering and voting on the candidacy of Jeff McPherson.s
The members of the Twenty-First Circuit Judicial Commission are: Judge Thomas C. Clark II, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, and commission chair; Chris Baechle; Matt Reh, secretary of the commission; Michelle Spirn; and Kelly Wittenbrink.
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