Voting for Judges in St. Louis—Understanding the Process for Appointing and Reviewing Judges
Hallie Van Duren • October 27, 2020
On November 3rd, Missouri voters will be asked to vote, not only on their leaders in the executive and legislative branches of government, but the judiciary, as well. Some voters may think that because they do not have any direct experience with the Missouri judges on the ballot, they should skip those ballot questions or vote blindly. Fortunately, however, there are resources available for voters to quickly and easily educate themselves in order to have a voice in their judicial branch.
Missouri’s judicial branch is made up of three levels of courts: The Supreme Court, four Appellate Courts, and 46 local Circuit Courts. Judges presiding in the Missouri Supreme Court, Appellate Courts, and six counties, including St. Louis City and St. Louis County, are selected using the “Missouri Plan”, also known as the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan. Under the Missouri Plan, judges apply for their positions and are evaluated and selected for a panel by a judicial commission made up of an appellate court judge, citizens appointed by the governor of Missouri, and lawyers elected by the members of the Missouri Bar. Three panelists are then selected and submitted to the governor, who selects the judge from the three panelists.
After judges are appointed, they are then periodically submitted to the voters to determine whether they should be retained in their positions. Any judge who receives a majority of “yes” votes will stay on the bench for that term. Unlike other counties in Missouri and some other states, judges under the Missouri Plan do not declare a party affiliation.
The goals of the Missouri Plan are to provide transparency to the public in the process for the selection and retention of judges and hold judges accountable to the people, who are ultimately responsible for keeping them on the bench. The Missouri Plan only works as intended if the voters accept the responsibility of evaluating and retaining their judges and educate themselves about the judges in order to make informed decisions.
To assist in deciding whether to retain judges, Missouri has a committee made up of lawyers, non-lawyers, and retired judges who review judges to advise whether they substantially meet judicial performance standards. The committee evaluates the judges based on lawyers’ ratings, jurors’ ratings, and written opinions from judges. During the current review cycle, the committee concluded that all 52 judges on the ballot for retention on November 3rd substantially meet overall judicial performance standards.
You can find more information about the judges and the history and details of the Missouri Plan at www.yourMissouriJudges.com.
The Center for Family Law is pleased to announce that Robert Boedeker has joined the firm as of July 2025 as an attorney of counsel. Robert is a 2011 graduate of St. Louis University School of Law. For the past ten years, he has worked at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. in the Lasting Solutions Family Law Program, which he co-managed since 2017. At The Center for Family Law, Robert will continue to practice law on family matters and order of protection cases in St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles County and Jefferson County. Additionally, he is a certified family law Guardian ad Litem and Mediator, and is looking to resume those areas of practice. “Joining The Center for Family Law allows me to dedicate myself again to just representing clients,” said Robert. “At Legal Services, I was dividing my time between clients and my management duties. I am excited to get back to mediating and representing children’s best interests; at Legal Services, often mediation was inappropriate for clients because of the serious domestic violence they were escaping.” He continued, “I loved my time at Legal Services and the clients and colleagues I worked with. But I am now looking forward to focusing just on the courtroom and mediation work. The attorneys at The Center for Family Law have the same passion for serving clients and a wealth of experience that I am grateful to be able to bring to my cases.” “Working in family law is meaningful and can be life-changing for our clients,” said Robert, “and I am glad to join a firm with the right balance of prioritizing conflict-resolution and defending their clients’ interests when needed.” The Center for Family Law welcomes Robert to the team, knowing his experience and personality make him a good fit to continue the firm’s tradition of collaboration and finding solutions for people in need.
We are proud to share that Ann Bauer will be honored at the 27th Annual Women's Justice Awards on April 10, 2025, as one of this year's recipients in the "Mentor" category. This award celebrates experienced legal professionals who have played an important role in guiding and supporting the next generation of attorneys. Ann’s journey in family law began with co-founding her first firm in 2009, eventually leading to the establishment of The Center for Family Law in 2013. What began as a small practice has grown into a dynamic firm with a team of attorneys and staff dedicated exclusively to family law. Ann has been the heart of this growth—leading with purpose, mentoring with compassion, and consistently advocating for positive change. Ann's unwavering commitment to transforming how families navigate legal separation has helped shift the focus from adversarial litigation to a more compassionate approach to resolution, especially within the collaborative divorce process and in mediation. Her philosophy and approach to family law continue to influence and guide a new generation of legal professionals and practitioners she has mentored throughout her career. Whether she's mentoring within the firm or taking the time to speak with a law student, Ann is always generous with her time, wisdom, and support. She also shares her expertise through active service on numerous committees dedicated to family law and domestic violence. Please join us in congratulating Ann on this well-deserved honor. We are grateful for her vision and proud to continue building on the foundation she helped establish at The Center for Family Law.
The Center for Family Law is excited to announce the start of its fourth year hosting the Second Saturday Divorce Workshops, providing valuable support and guidance to individuals navigating the divorce process.