Injury keeps Mo. chief justice out of courtroom

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A fellow judge said a broken arm kept Missouri's chief justice out of the courtroom for the first oral arguments since she became the leader of the state's judicial branch.

But Chief Justice Mary Russell still participated as the Supreme Court heard five cases Tuesday. Judge Patricia Breckenridge announced Russell would be listening to the arguments remotely and taking part in the proceeding.

Breckenridge did not offer any details of when or how Russell broke her arm.

Russell has served on Missouri's high court since 2004 and became chief justice on July 1. The chief justice is chosen every two years by the judges of the seven-member court.