Judge sets deadline for coroner to file petition or hire attorney

Wavis Jordan, left, walking out of the courtroom May 14 following his preliminary hearing.

KFVS ~ Pool

A judge ruled Monday, May 20, that Cape Girardeau Coroner Wavis Jordan needs to hire an attorney or file an answer to the state’s quo warranto petition by Friday, June 7.

Judge Jerel Lee Poor II gave the deadline over the state’s objection, according to Missouri’s court online database.

The motion hearing was held remotely Monday morning.

On May 13, Jordan asked for an additional 30-day extension of the case. A month earlier, Jordan had asked for a 60-day extension, but Poor only granted 30 days.

Poor has already granted several extensions, and the state had not objected until this latest request.

The Missouri attorney general’s office has filed the petition to remove Jordan from office. Jordan is accused of providing false information to vital records and the theft of less than $20 from a deceased person’s wallet.

Jordan also faces criminal counts on those accusations and has retained an attorney to fight the criminal charges in court. He has not been successful thus far in finding an attorney to defend him against the state’s civil case to remove him from public office.

Jordan’s term concludes at the end of this year, but he has also filed as a candidate for reelection. He was charged in court Feb. 8.

Jordan still holds the title of coroner, but a judge ordered, based on the accusations from the attorney general’s office, that he cannot perform the functions of the office. In the meantime, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office is handling the administration of the coroner’s duties. An additional deputy coroner has been hired.