DEFEATED BOLLINGER JUDGE WANTS PROSECUTOR'S JOB

MARBLE HILL -- Longtime Bollinger County Associate Circuit Judge Bill Hopkins, who lost a re-election bid Nov. 8 by 84 votes, said Friday he intends to seek appointment as Bollinger County prosecuting attorney.

No one filed for the office. Democrat Paul Hahn, who has held the job the past eight years, is going into private practice with a law firm in Jackson, and did not seek re-election.

Under state law, the vacancy is to be filled by appointment by the governor.

The Bollinger County Democratic Central Committee meets Monday at 7 p.m. in the Bollinger County Courthouse courtroom to interview candidates and make a recommendation to Gov. Mel Carnahan.

Hopkins said he will ask the committee for its support. He notified the governor's office Friday of his interest.

"I have had so many people -- Republicans and Democrats -- come up to me and ask that I do this, that I thought I would," said Hopkins.

"Bollinger County has been real good to me. This county hired me 20 years as associate circuit judge, and I feel like I owe the county something. I was born and raised in this county and will always be here."

Hopkins will open a private law practice in Marble Hill. Even though he has not practiced law in 20 years, Hopkins said his experience as a judge will help him fulfill the duties of prosecutor as well as be a successful attorney.

As a judge, Hopkins handled probate, criminal and civil cases, giving him court experience. "That is in my favor for someone interested in hiring me in a civil case, plus it is good for the state in the prosecutor's position."

Several nonresident attorneys have expressed an interest in being appointed to the job. State law gives the governor the authority to appoint a nonresident if there are no qualified residents of the county interested in the job.

But because Hopkins resides in the county and wants the position, state law is pretty much on his side.

Besides Hopkins, the only other lawyers living in the county are Kenneth Shrum, a former prosecutor who is now a Southern District Missouri Appeals Court judge in Springfield, and Scott Thomsen, who defeated Hopkins for the judgeship.

Although Hopkins had hoped to continue his career on the bench and does not rule out the possibility of running for his old job in 1998, he is looking forward to serving as prosecutor and opening a private practice.

Said Hopkins: "I think I can do well in both areas. I know everybody in the county, and I think that will help me being a prosecutor too because I know people. I can tell the difference between someone who is in trouble for the first and probably only time, and someone who is a regular offender.

"That knowledge of the people can help me be an excellent prosecutor as it made me an excellent judge."

Hopkins' term as judge expires Dec. 31, the same time a new term of prosecutor would begin.