17 apply for Southern District vacancies

Six women applied to the Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District‘s two vacancies, and no applicants self-reported as minority applicants.

Twelve work outside the Springfield metropolitan area. Eight work in the public sector as trial court judges. Nine are in the private sector, and five of those private sector applicants work in a solo or small-firm practice.

Their mean age is 52.3 years.

The Appellate Judicial Commission released the names and demographics of the 17 applicants on July 20. They will undergo public interviews on Monday, August 22 starting at 12:30 p.m. and Tuesday, August 23 starting at 8 a.m. at the Hotel Vandivort, 305 East Walnut Street in Springfield.

The applicants include Alan M. Blankenship, Becky J.W. Borthwick, Carolyn G. Buschjost, David A. Cole, Brian G. Ellsworth, Ginger K. Gooch, Matthew P. Hamner, Joseph L. Hensley, Michael O. Hendrickson, James E. Meadows, Kathryn A. Millington, Bryan A. Nickell, Steven A. Privette, Scott A. Robbins, Sherry A. Rozell, Megan K. Seay and Raymond E. Williams.

The interviews are open to the public. After concluding interviews on the second day at an estimated time of 10:30 a.m., the commission will select three nominees from the applicant pool for the governor’s consideration.

Gov. Mike Parson will first appoint someone to replace retired Judge Gary W. Lynch, who left the bench on June 18. The commission will then reopen the application and interview process for additional applicants to the vacancy of retired Judge William W. Francis Jr., who left the bench on July 31.

The commission also will be selecting from the Lynch applicant pool for their three Francis vacancy recommendations. A timeline for filling the Francis vacancy will be released once Parson appoints a new judge for the Lynch vacancy.