Panel named to fill vacancy on St. Louis County bench

St. Louis Daily Record & St. Louis Countian, Jan 30, 2004 by staff

The 21st Judicial Circuit Commission has announced a panel of nominees for the position of circuit judge in the County of St. Louis. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Susan Block.

Those nominated by the commission are: Richard C. Bresnahan, Michael D. Burton and Gloria Clark Reno. Gov. Bob Holden has 60 days to appoint one of these candidates to fill the vacancy.

Bresnahan received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri at St. Louis in 1967 and his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1973. He has actively maintained a practice while being a municipal judge for the city of Town and Country. He is currently a sole practitioner in Clayton.

Burton has been an associate circuit court judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit since 1999. Prior to joining the bench, he was a partner with the law firm of Margulis, Grant, Burton and Margulis, P.C. in Clayton. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1982 and his law degree from Washington University in 1985.

Reno is an associate circuit judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and she received her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1986. Prior to appointment, she was an attorney with the Hale Law Firm and served as a municipal judge for the city of Northwoods.

According to the commission, these candidates, which were chosen from a field of extremely qualified individuals, possess those qualities of compassion, intellect and high moral purpose essential to the fair and efficient administration of justice. Each of these people have that trial experience and sense of fairness that the commission knows is required to administer justice to the people of St. Louis County and the state of Missouri. The commission is confident that all of these individuals are capable of serving well and honorably if selected by the governor.

The members of 21st Judicial Circuit Commission are: Chief Judge Sherri B. Sullivan, Daryl L. Cothran, Thomas M. Lang, Matt McCormick and Gerard Noce.