Protecting Missourians’ Rights to Fair and Impartial Courts

Coalition speaks out in support of the Supreme Court selection process

Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts applauds the Appellate Judicial Commission for sending Governor Blunt a balanced panel of three outstanding candidates for the vacancy on the Missouri Supreme Court.

The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan provides a balanced approach to the selection of our judges by keeping politics and special interest influence out of the process. The diverse and well-qualified panel put forth by the Appellate Judicial Commission-- who is charged with selecting a panel of three for the Governor to choose from-- demonstrates the process is working.

It is clear the Appellate Judicial Commission undertook a diligent review and analysis of the legal writings and qualifications of the applicants. They submitted to the Governor a panel of three highly qualified judges with extensive experience on the bench.

Missourians depend on fair and impartial courts to provide stable and rational resolution of disputes, protect property and economic interests, and, when needed, protect people from the overreaching of government. Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts advocates for the courts to remain accountable to the constitution and the laws of this state -- not political pressure and special interests.

In 1940, Missouri voters chose to put a stop to political control of their courts. In approving the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, they ensured judges would be appointed based on merit -- not political party affiliations -- and would be retained in office only by voter approval. The Missouri Plan is a model that has been used in more than thirty states and should be preserved in Missouri to prevent politics from taking over the courts.

Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts is a broad-based coalition of organizations and individuals devoted to protecting Missouri courts from attacks by a small group of politicians and special interests and preserving Missouri’s highly regarded process for selecting judges, known as the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan.

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