Circuit Judge Gardner seeks seat on Missouri Court of Appeals

Circuit Judge Michael Gardner wants to fill a vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals.

Gardner, who serves on the bench in the 32nd Judicial Circuit of Cape Girardeau, Perry and Bollinger counties, is one of 18 applicants for a position on the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District, according to a news release.

The vacancy occurred when Judge Lisa Van Amburg retired in August, Missouri Supreme Court communications counsel Beth Riggert said in the news release.

Contacted by the Southeast Missourian, Gardner declined to comment on his appeals court application.

Gardner was elected to a six-year term as circuit judge in November 2014. His term is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020.

A graduate of the University of Missouri law school, Gardner was an attorney with the Cape Girardeau law firm of Osburn, Hine, Yates & Murphy before being elected a circuit judge.

Gardner replaced longtime Circuit Judge William Syler, who retired after 22 years on the bench.

The 18 applicants for the appellate position include five women. Ten applicants are from outside the St. Louis area. Eight of the applicants work in the public sector, nine work in the private sector, and one works in both, according to the news release.

Gardner is one of six trial court judges seeking the position.

The state's appellate judicial commission plans to interview all 18 applicants, Riggert said. Those interviews, which will be open to the public, will be conducted Dec. 19 in St. Louis.

The judicial commission then will select three nominees, whose names will be submitted to Gov. Mike Parson, who will make the appointment.

If chosen, Gardner would be the first state appeals court judge from Cape Girardeau County since the late Judge Stanley Grimm.

Grimm, a former circuit judge, served on the appeals court for the Eastern District from 1987 until his retirement in 1998. He died in 2012.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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