Missouri Law Matters

How are judges selected in Missouri, and what does it mean when voters are asked whether a judge should be retained? In this episode of Missouri Law Matters, Judge Matt Hamner talks with Athena Dickson, president of The Missouri Bar, about the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan, also known as the Missouri Plan, and how judicial selection and retention work in Missouri. They explain why Missouri voters adopted the Missouri Plan in 1940, how judicial nominating commissions help identify qualified candidates, the governor’s role in the selection process and how Missouri voters participate through judicial retention elections. The conversation also explores the role of The Missouri Bar in supporting Missouri lawyers and helping the public better understand the courts and legal system. Topics include: • How judges are selected in Missouri • What the Missouri Plan is and how it works • Missouri judicial retention elections • The role voters play in judicial retention • Merit-based judicial selection • The Missouri Bar and civic education • Resources for finding legal help in Missouri • Lawyer referral services and Free Legal Answers • Attorney wellness and the Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program • Athena Dixon’s path from first-generation college student to attorney and president of The Missouri Bar • Why lawyers and judges are working to expand civic education across Missouri • How Missourians can learn more about their courts and judges The Missouri Plan has been part of Missouri’s judicial system since 1940. Judges serving under the plan are selected through a merit-based process and later appear before voters in retention elections. For Missourians who have wondered, “Who chooses Missouri judges?” “What is a judicial retention election?” or “How does the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan work?” this episode offers a clear look at the process and the people who take part in it. Missouri Law Matters is a podcast about Missouri courts, the law and the people who help make the justice system work. Hosted by Judge Matt Hamner of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. Subscribe for more conversations about Missouri courts, judges, lawyers, civic education and access to justice.

How does the Missouri court system work, and what does the Missouri Court of Appeals actually do?

In this episode of Missouri Law Matters, Judge Matt Hamner talks with Chief Judge John P. Torbitzky of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, about appellate courts in Missouri, how judges review trial court decisions and why the Eastern District’s 150th anniversary matters.

The conversation also covers Missouri’s court structure, civic education, Case.net, public access to court information, court technology and how Missouri courts are thinking about artificial intelligence.

Chief Judge Torbitzky also shares his path to the law, from earning an English degree to serving as a judicial law clerk, working in private practice and becoming an appellate judge.

In this episode:

- What the Missouri Court of Appeals does
- How appellate courts are different from trial courts
- How Missouri judges review trial court decisions
- The history of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
- Why the Eastern District is marking 150 years of service
How Case.net helps the public access Missouri court information
- Why civic education matters for public trust in courts
- How AI and court technology may affect the judiciary

Missouri Law Matters is a podcast from the Supreme Court of Missouri featuring conversations about Missouri courts, judges, court services and the work being done to support public access to justice.

Subscribe for more great conversations about the Missouri judiciary and how the court system works.

#MissouriCourts #MissouriCourtSystem #MissouriJudiciary #MissouriCourtOfAppeals #MissouriLawMatters #CaseNet #CourtTechnology #AIinCourts #CivicEducation

How does someone become a judge in Missouri? What role does civic education play in helping the public understand the courts? And what can students learn from a judge who did not start with every advantage?

In this episode of Missouri Law Matters, Judge Matt Hamner chats with Judge Jeffrey McPherson about his path from a small college to the Supreme Court of Missouri, private practice and the bench.

Judge McPherson shares what it was like to become the first person in his family to graduate from college and law school. He also reflects on attending a high school with limited opportunities, working hard in the classroom and building a legal career that included clerking for the Supreme Court of Missouri and nearly 30 years in private practice before becoming a judge.

The conversation also explores the importance of civic education, why courts matter in everyday life and how students can begin to see a place for themselves in the legal system.

This episode is a reminder that there is no single path to a legal career. Hard work, curiosity and public service can open doors, even when the starting point looks different than expected.

Listen to Missouri Law Matters for conversations about Missouri courts, civic education, the legal profession and the people who help make the justice system work.

In this episode of Missouri Law Matters, Judge Matt Hamner talks with Senior Judge Gary Lynch about Missouri courts, court technology and the role of Case.net in helping the public access court information.

The conversation explores how Missouri developed a statewide court automation system, why court technology matters and how tools like Case.net support public access to justice. Judge Lynch also discusses his service as a trial judge, appellate judge and senior judge, along with the importance of public service, mental health initiatives and the future of artificial intelligence in the justice system.

For anyone searching for Case.net Missouri, Missouri court records, Missouri courts online, Missouri court case search or how Missouri courts use technology, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people and systems working to serve the public.

What really happens inside Missouri’s Associate Circuit Courts?
Judge Denise Childress of St. Charles County joins host Judge Matt Hamner to share what everyday justice looks like - from orders of protection and child support to family law and landlord-tenant cases.

She talks about handling hundreds of cases a week, working with people who represent themselves, and why keeping courts open and accessible matters to every Missourian. Judge Childress also reflects on her journey from public defender to the bench, the mentors who guided her, and how teaching and fairness shape her approach to the law.

Topics include:
– What to expect in Missouri’s Associate Circuit Court
– Orders of protection and family law cases
– Child support, small claims, and landlord-tenant disputes
– The role of mentorship and education in the judiciary
– Why open courts build public trust

About Missouri Law Matters
A podcast from the Supreme Court of Missouri, sharing conversations with judges and court professionals about how the law works in real life - and how Missouri’s courts serve the public every day.