Governor appoints judge to Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced a new judicial appointment to the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District on Jan. 16.

The new judge will fill the vacancy created by Judge Cristian M. Stevens‘ appointment to the federal bench, according to Kehoe’s office. Stevens was appointed as a United States District judge in July of last year.

“Stevens fills a vacancy created by Judge Audrey G. Fleissig’s taking senior status,” the court wrote in a release regarding the appointment.

Stevens graduated from University of Missouri‘s School of Law and previously was an associate at Bryan Cave and then became a partner at Armstrong Teasdale. The release stated he also served as an assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and was first assistant attorney general to then-Attorney General of Missouri Eric Schmitt, eventually serving as a judge for the Eastern District.

With Stevens now on the federal bench, Kehoe appointed Kathleen Hamilton as judge for the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District.

During the nomination process, the Appellate Judicial Commission completed two hours of deliberations and 10 rounds of balloting before unanimously supporting three candidates who each received seven votes. Of those candidates, Kehoe selected Hamilton to take on the role.

Hamilton was a litigation attorney and partner at HeplerBroom  in St. Louis and obtained her law degree from the University of Missouri.