Thursday, Apr. 16, 2026
Does Missouri’s governor select state Supreme Court candidates?
Candidates for Missouri’s Supreme Court are selected through a nonpartisan process led by the Appellate Judicial Commission.
The commission interviews applicants and submits three candidates for the governor to choose from. If the governor fails to appoint a candidate within 60 days, the commission chooses.
The commission includes lawyers elected by the Missouri Bar Association and citizens appointed by the governor. It is chaired by the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court.
This process was approved by voters through an initiative petition in 1940, commonly known as the Missouri Plan.
Twenty-three states have since adopted the plan, or a hybrid model, to choose judges.
Rep. Cathy Jo Loy, R-Carthage, proposed a joint resolution in December 2025 that would eliminate the nonpartisan commission and allow the governor to appoint justices directly. If passed by the legislature, it would place the question on the statewide ballot as a constitutional amendment for voter approval.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Missouri Courts Appellate Judicial Commission
- Missouri Courts Nonpartisan Court Plan
- Federalist Society State Courts Guide
- Missouri Independent State of the Judiciary speech scrapped as Missouri Senate GOP protests court decision
- Facebook.com Rick Brattin for Congress video
- Missouri House of Representatives HJR 119
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