United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri | |
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(W.D. Mo.) | |
Location | Kansas City More locations |
Appeals to | Eighth Circuit |
Established | March 3, 1857 |
Judges | 7 |
Chief Judge | Beth Phillips |
Officers of the court | |
U.S. Attorney | Teresa A. Moore |
U.S. Marshal | Scott Seeling (acting) |
www |
The United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (in case citations, W.D. Mo.) is the federal judicial district encompassing 66 counties in the western half of the State of Missouri. The Court is based in the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse in Kansas City.
As of March 1, 2021[update] the United States attorney is Teresa A. Moore.[1]
History
Missouri was admitted as a state on August 10, 1821, and the
When the District of Missouri was subdivided, Robert William Wells was the sole judge serving the District of Missouri. Wells was then reassigned to serve only the Western District.[8]
Jurisdiction
The district is divided into five divisions: Western (Kansas City), Central (
The five court divisions each cover the following counties:
The Western Division covers Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Ray, St. Clair, and Saline counties.
The Central Division covers Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Hickory, Howard, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, and Pettis counties.
The Southern Division covers Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, Taney, Texas, Webster, and Wright counties.
The St. Joseph Division covers Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Platte, Putnam, Sullivan, and Worth counties.
The Southwestern Division covers Barry, Barton, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Stone, and Vernon counties.
Current judges
As of January 28, 2023[update]:
# | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
35 | Chief Judge | Beth Phillips | Kansas City | 1969 | 2012–present | 2019–present | — | Obama |
34 | District Judge | David Gregory Kays | Kansas City | 1962 | 2008–present | 2014–2019 | — | G.W. Bush |
36 | District Judge | Brian C. Wimes[Note 1] | Kansas City | 1966 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
37 | District Judge | M. Douglas Harpool | Springfield | 1956 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
38 | District Judge | Stephen R. Bough | Kansas City | 1970 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
39 | District Judge | Roseann A. Ketchmark | Kansas City | 1963 | 2015–present | — | — | Obama |
40 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
21 | Senior Judge | Howard F. Sachs | Kansas City | 1925 | 1979–1992 | 1990–1992 | 1992–present | Carter |
27 | Senior Judge | Dean Whipple | Kansas City | 1938 | 1987–2007 | 2000–2007 | 2007–present | Reagan |
28 | Senior Judge | Fernando J. Gaitan Jr. | Kansas City | 1948 | 1991–2014 | 2007–2014 | 2014–present | G.H.W. Bush |
29 | Senior Judge | Ortrie D. Smith | Kansas City | 1946 | 1995–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
30 | Senior Judge | Gary A. Fenner | Kansas City | 1947 | 1996–2015 | — | 2015–present | Clinton |
31 | Senior Judge | Nanette Kay Laughrey[Note 1] | Jefferson City | 1946 | 1996–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
32 | Senior Judge | Rodney W. Sippel[Note 1] | None[Note 2] | 1956 | 1997–2023 | — | 2023–present | Clinton |
Vacancies and pending nominations
Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | None | Rodney W. Sippel | Senior status | January 28, 2023 | – | – |
Former judges
# | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robert William Wells | MO | 1795–1864 | 1857–1864[Note 1] | — | — | Jackson/Operation of law | death |
2 | Arnold Krekel | MO | 1815–1888 | 1865–1888 | — | — | Lincoln | retirement |
3 | John Finis Philips | MO | 1834–1919 | 1888–1910 | — | — | Cleveland | retirement |
4 | Arba Seymour Van Valkenburgh | MO | 1862–1944 | 1910–1925 | — | — | Taft | elevation to 8th Cir. |
5 | Albert L. Reeves | MO | 1873–1971 | 1923–1954 | 1948–1954 | 1954–1971 | Harding | death |
6 | Merrill E. Otis | MO | 1884–1944 | 1925–1944[Note 2] | — | — | Coolidge | death |
7 | John Caskie Collet | MO | 1898–1955 | 1937–1947[Note 3] | — | — | F. Roosevelt | elevation to 8th Cir. |
8 | Richard M. Duncan | MO | 1889–1974 | 1943–1965[Note 3] | 1954–1959 | 1965–1974 | F. Roosevelt | death |
9 | Albert Alphonso Ridge | MO | 1898–1967 | 1945–1961 | 1959–1961 | — | F. Roosevelt | elevation to 8th Cir. |
13 | Roy Winfield Harper | MO | 1905–1994 | 1947[Note 4][Note 3] 1947–1948[Note 5][Note 3] 1948–1971[Note 6][Note 3] |
— | 1971–1994 | Truman Truman Truman |
death |
11 | Charles Evans Whittaker | MO | 1901–1973 | 1954–1956 | — | — | Eisenhower | elevation to 8th Cir. |
12 | Randle Jasper Smith | MO | 1908–1962 | 1956–1962 | 1961–1962 | — | Eisenhower | death |
13 | Floyd Robert Gibson | MO | 1910–2001 | 1961–1965 | 1962–1965 | — | Kennedy | elevation to 8th Cir. |
14 | William Henry Becker
|
MO | 1909–1992 | 1961–1977 | 1965–1977 | 1977–1992 | Kennedy | death |
15 | John Watkins Oliver | MO | 1914–1990 | 1962–1980 | 1977–1980 | 1980–1990 | Kennedy | death |
16 | William Robert Collinson | MO | 1912–1995 | 1965–1980[Note 3] | — | 1980–1995 | L. Johnson | death |
17 | Elmo Bolton Hunter | MO | 1915–2003 | 1965–1980 | 1980 | 1980–2003 | L. Johnson | death |
18 | Harris Kenneth Wangelin | MO | 1913–1987 | 1970–1983[Note 3] | — | 1983–1987 | Nixon | death |
19 | Russell Gentry Clark | MO | 1925–2003 | 1977–1991 | 1980–1985 | 1991–2000 | Carter | retirement |
20 | Scott Olin Wright | MO | 1923–2016 | 1979–1991 | 1985–1990 | 1991–2016 | Carter | death |
22 | Joseph Edward Stevens Jr. | MO | 1928–1998 | 1981–1995[Note 3] | 1992–1995 | 1995–1998 | Reagan | death |
23 | D. Brook Bartlett | MO | 1937–2000 | 1981–2000 | 1995–2000 | — | Reagan | death |
24 | John R. Gibson | MO | 1925–2014 | 1981–1982 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 8th Cir. |
25 | Ross Thompson Roberts | MO | 1938–1987 | 1982–1987 | — | — | Reagan | death |
26 | Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr. | MO | 1927–present | 1983–1996[Note 3] | — | 1996–2008 | Reagan | retirement |
33 | Richard Everett Dorr | MO | 1943–2013 | 2002–2013 | — | — | G.W. Bush | death |
- ^ Reassigned from the District of Missouri
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1925, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 14, 1925, and received commission the same day
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jointly appointed to the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
- ^ Recess appointment; not confirmed by the Senate
- ^ Received a second recess appointment and was again rejected by the Senate
- ^ Received a third recess appointment; formally nominated on January 13, 1949, confirmed by the Senate on January 31, 1949, and received commission on February 2, 1949
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
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United States Attorneys
List of U.S. Attorneys since 1857[9][10][11]
- Mosby Monroe Parsons (1857–1858)
- Alfred Morrison Lay(1858–1861)
- James J. Clark (1861)
- James O. Broadhead (1861)
- Robert J. Lackey (1861–1864)
- Bennett Pike (1864)
- James S. Botsford (1871–1878)
- L. H. Waters (1878–1882)
- William Warner (1882–1885)
- Ross Guffin (1885)
- Maecenas Eason Benton(1885–1889)
- Elbert E. Kimball (1889)
- George A. Neal (1889–1894)
- John R. Walker (1894–1898)
- William Warner (1898–1905)
- Arba S. Van Valkenburgh (1905–1910)
- Leslie J. Lyons (1910–1913)
- Francis M. Wilson (1913–1920)
- Sam O. Hargus (1920)
- James W. Sullinger (1920–1921)
- Charles C. Madison (1921–1925)
- Roscoe C. Patterson (1925–1929)
- William L. Vandeventer (1929–1934)
- Maurice M. Milligan (1934–1940)
- Richard K. Phelps (1940)
- Maurice M. Milligan (1940–1945)
- Sam M. Wear (1945–1953)
- Edward L. Scheufler (1953–1961)
- F. Russell Millin (1961–1967)
- Calvin K. Hamilton (1967–1969)
- Bert C. Hurn (1969–1977)
- Ronald S. Reed, Jr. (1977–1981)
- J. Whitfield Moody (1981)
- Robert G. Ulrich (1981–1989)
- Thomas M. Larson (1989)
- Jean Paul Bradshaw II (1989–1993)
- Michael A. Jones (1993)
- Marietta Parker (1993)
- Stephen L. Hill, Jr. (1993–2001)
- Todd Graves (2001–2006)
- Bradley Schlozman (2006–2007)
- John F. Wood (2007–2009)
- Beth Phillips (2009–2012)
- David Ketchmark (2012–2013)
- Tammy Dickinson (2013–2017)
- Thomas Larson (2017–2018)
- Timothy A. Garrison (2018–2021)
- Teresa A. Moore (2021–present)
See also
- Courts of Missouri
- List of current United States district judges
- List of United States federal courthouses in Missouri
References
- ^ "Meet the U.S. Attorney". www.justice.gov. April 25, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
- ^ a b c U.S. District Courts of Missouri, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
- ^ 3 Stat. 653.
- ^ Dickens, Asbury (1852). Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America. Boston: Little, Brown and company. p. 393.
- ^ 5 Stat. 176.
- ^ 11 Stat. 197.
- ^ a b Broadhead, James O. (March 5, 1887). "Address of Col. J. O. Broadhead". In Bar Association of St. Louis (ed.). Proceedings of the Saint Louis bar on the retirement of Hon. Samuel Treat. St. Louis: Nixon-Jones printing co. pp. 10–17.
- ^ "Robert William Wells". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Federal Judicial Center. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
- ^ "Western District of Missouri | Gallery of Past U.S. Attorneys for the Western District of MO". January 7, 2015.
- ^ "Bicn Celebration" (PDF). www.justice.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "The Political Graveyard: U.S. District Attorneys in Missouri".