Fincham named associate circuit judge in Platte County

Gov. Jay Nixon has tapped a part-time municipal court judge for a more permanent position with the Platte County Judicial Circuit.

Nixon this afternoon announced he’d appointed Thomas Fincham, a partner with Fincham & Salmon in Gladstone, as associate circuit judge to the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

The position became vacant in light of Daniel Czamanske’s retirement.

Fincham graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1981 and has practiced as an attorney for nearly 30 years.

He serves as a municipal judge in Richmond, Riverside, Ferrelview, Oakview and Platte Woods, according to a news release from Nixon’s office.

Fincham also taught trial advocacy as an adjunct law professor at UMKC from 1992 to 1997 and now is a member of the board of directors for Northland Alternative Service Program, a not-for-profit organization that helps probationers meet community service requirements.

Nixon chose Fincham from a panel of three attorneys that the 6th Circuit Judicial Commission submitted to him less than two weeks ago.

Also considered for the judgeship were Roseann Ketchmark, an executive assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, and Christopher Patterson, of the Patterson Law Office in Kansas City.

Fincham is the second associate circuit judge Nixon has appointed to the Platte County trial court this month. The governor on May 6 also selected Dennis Eckold to replace Gary Witt, who was recently appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District.