Matt Blunt (R)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline)-Nominees for an open seat on the Missouri Supreme Court are expected to be announced today.
The Appellate Judicial Commission, which is made up of lawyers, gubernatorial appointees and the court's sitting chief justice, will choose three nominees to send to Gov. Matt Blunt.
In all, 23 individuals applied for the seat left vacant by Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr., who after 16 years on the state high court was confirmed in June as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Blunt, a Republican, will appoint Limbaugh's replacement from the list of three nominees.
While not disclosing the applicants' names, the court said 18 of the 23 applicants are men and 17 work in the public sector. Six applicants are minorities. The median age is 53 years old.
To help the governor decide on whom he will appoint, applicants were asked to complete a 50-question survey, which, among other things, asked about their judicial philosophy.
The governor has said he would release the applicants' answers to help ensure that the selection process is "open and transparent."
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.