New judge named in River Campus lawsuit

The Missouri Supreme Court has appointed a new judge to hear the latest River Campus lawsuit after the previous judge appointed by the court was disqualified by the lawyer for plaintiff Jim Drury.

Retired judge Robert Crist of Shelbina, Mo., will take over the case from Circuit Judge William Seay of Dent County.

Cape Girardeau County circuit court officials were notified of the new judge on Tuesday, hours before Southeast Missouri State University broke ground for its new River Campus arts school on the site of a former Catholic seminary.

The change in judge forced the cancellation of a hearing that was scheduled for today in Jackson on the city of Cape Girardeau's motion to dismiss Drury's lawsuit. No new court date has been set.

Drury, a Cape Girardeau motel and restaurant owner, is seeking to block the use of city tax dollars to help fund the River Campus project. This is Drury's third lawsuit against the city over the project since April 1999.

Walter S. Drusch, Drury's attorney, said his client was allowed under state law to automatically disqualify Seay without giving a reason.

The Supreme Court initially appointed Seay after local circuit judges recused themselves from hearing the case.