Ginger Gooch is again among top three candidates for Missouri Supreme Court vacancy
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A second judicial vacancy on the Missouri Supreme Court this year has granted Springfield judge Ginger Gooch another chance at a seat on the state’s highest court.
Gooch is once again among the top three candidates for the position. The other two candidates are both currently serving as judges in the Eastern District Court of Appeals.
Michael E. Gardner, who was also among the top three candidates for the last Missouri Supreme Court vacancy in August, and John P. Torbitzky are both vying for the vacant seat.
Gooch is a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy, law and rhetoric, earning summa cum laude honors. She earned her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 2000.
More: Springfield judge among three candidates for Missouri Supreme Court vacancy
This vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Patricia Breckenridge earlier this month.
Judges usually serve 12-year terms, but have the possibility of serving multiple terms. They must retire at the age of 70, or apply for senior status, which will allow them to continue hearing cases on a limited basis.
To be a qualified candidate for the Missouri Supreme Court, applicants must be at least 30 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least 15 years, a qualified Missouri voter for nine years prior to applying and licensed to practice law in the state.
The applications of these three candidates have been sent to Gov. Mike Parson, who has 60 days to select a new Missouri Supreme Court judge. If he does not make a choice within this window, the Appellate Judicial Commission will make a selection.
The Appellate Judicial Commission narrowed the list of candidates to these three after almost three hours of public interviews, over two hours of deliberations, and 10 rounds of balloting. Each candidate received seven votes.
The commission is made up of Chief Justice Mary R. Russell, who serves as committee chair, Neil Chanter of Springfield, Connie Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit, Timothy M. Drury of St. Louis, Sally Hargis of Springfield, Thomas K. Neill of St. Louis and Kirk R. Presley of Kansas City.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield judge gets second shot at Missouri Supreme Court vacancy
