Court - Judges don't have to turn over money

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Two judges do not have to turn over to the state millions of dollars in a fund they are supervising that has been used to pay for county courthouse improvements, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

More than $5.4 million in disputed funds controlled by Cole County circuit judges Byron Kinder and Thomas J. Brown III were at issue in the case before the state's highest court.

"Clearly circuit judges have the authority to exercise supervisory authority over funds paid in to the registry of their courts," the court said in a 7-0 decision.

Attorney General Jay Nixon had argued that the two judges were exercising unlawful control over the money and acting beyond the scope of their powers.

He said the money should have been turned over to the Unclaimed Properties Division controlled by State Treasurer Nancy Farmer.