JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Appellate Judicial Commission is accepting applications for judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, to fill the impending vacancies that will be created by the upcoming retirements of Judge Gary W. Lynch and Judge William W. Francis Jr.
Lynch has been a judge for nearly two decades. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1974 from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar and his law degree in 1976 from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He practiced law in Bolivar until 2003, when he became an associate circuit judge in Polk County (in the 30th Judicial Circuit). He was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, in 2006 and has served two terms as its chief judge, from July 2007 through June 2009 and again since July 1, 2021. Lynch’s retirement will be effective June 18, 2022.
Francis has been a judge for 12 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in 1974 from what is now Missouri State University in Springfield and his law degree in 1977 from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He had been in the private practice of law in Springfield for more than three decades when he was appointed in May 2010 to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, for which he served as chief judge from July 2013 through June 2015. Francis’ retirement will be effective July 31, 2022.
Citizens are encouraged to nominate well-qualified candidates for the commission’s consideration. The Missouri Constitution requires that a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals be at least 30 years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri, a United States citizen for at least 15 years and a qualified Missouri voter for at least nine years next preceding selection. Nominations should be submitted to the commission by e-mail at SDJudgeVacancy@courts.mo.gov, or by postal mail to Appellate Judicial Commission, Southern District Judge Vacancy, Post Office Box 150, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The nomination form is available below.
Public nomination form: Word | PDF
Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2022. Interested persons may download the application materials and instructions below.
Application: Word | PDF
Authorization: Word | PDF
Instructions for applicants: Word | PDF
Guidelines for references: Word | PDF
The commission expects to meet Monday and Tuesday, August 22 and 23, 2022, at the Hotel Vandivort, 305 East Walnut Street, in Springfield, to interview applicants and select a panel of three nominees for the Lynch vacancy for the governor’s consideration. The interviews will be open to the public. The names of those to be interviewed and information relating to the number and characteristics of all applicants will be released publicly prior to the interviews.
After the governor makes his appointment to fill the Lynch vacancy, the commission expects to reopen the application process briefly for any additional individuals who wish to be considered for the Francis vacancy. The commission anticipates it will interview only new applicants; it does not plan to re-interview those who interviewed for the Lynch vacancy. The commission then will meet to select – from both applicant pools – the three nominees for the Francis vacancy. The commission expects to announce the specific timeline for the reopened Francis vacancy in due course after the governor has made his selection for the Lynch vacancy.