Springfield judge among 3 nominees for state Supreme Court

Courtesy Courts.Mo.gov

Ginger Gooch is one of three finalists for the Supreme Court of Missouri.

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A Springfield judge is one of three nominees for a position on the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Judge Ginger Gooch, who serves on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District in Springfield, has been selected as a finalist by the Appellate Judicial Commission, according to a news release.

Gov. Mike Parson has 60 days to select one of the people for the state Supreme Court role left vacant by the retirement this month of Judge George W. Draper III.

The other nominees are Judge Kelly Broniec, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in St. Louis, and Michael Gardner, a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in St. Louis, according to the release.

Gooch, who previously was a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP, was selected late last year by Parson for her current bench seat, according to past reporting.

"I look forward to serving the people of Missouri in the capacity of judge and in doing so, honoring the many people who have mentored me and supported me from the time I started law school and throughout my career," Gooch said at the time.

Gooch clerked at the Supreme Court of Missouri before starting in private practice in 2001. She was a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP from 2008 until she was named a judge and practiced business litigation, education, banking and appellate law, according to past reporting.