Court of Appeals to Hold Court at Truman March 26

The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene court at Truman, March 26.

A three-judge panel consisting of Chief Judge James Welsh, fellow Western District Judge Joseph Ellis and Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Russell will hear oral arguments in four cases beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Student Union Building Georgian Room B.

The cases are appeals from previously held trials in area circuit courts. The judges will hear attorneys argue whether the trials had errors, which should cause them to be retried, or the trial court’s judgment reversed. The judges will read written arguments before the court session, and may interrupt the attorneys’ arguments with questions.

The three judges will take a break in between cases and remain after the court session to discuss the court system and generally explain proceedings.

This will be the eighth session of the Western District at Truman and the 21st time that the court has convened in Kirksville. It convenes regularly in Kansas City. Its jurisdiction is appeals from trial courts in 45 counties, which include all of northwest Missouri and most of central Missouri.

Welsh will preside over the proceedings at Truman. He was appointed to the court of appeals in 2007 and has served as the court’s chief judge since July 1, 2013. Previously he practiced law for 10 years and then served successively as a municipal judge, an associate circuit judge and circuit judge in Clay County. Ellis is the senior judge at the Western District, having been appointed to the appellate bench in 1993. Prior to his appointment, he practiced law in Macon for 21 years. He served as the chief judge of the Western District from 2002 to 2004. Russell, a native of northeast Missouri, is a Truman State University graduate. After practicing law in Hannibal, she was appointed to the Eastern District of the Court of Appeals where she served for nine years. Ten years ago she was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court and has served as chief justice since July 1, 2013.

“It is important for the court to convene oral arguments outside of Kansas City,” Ellis said. “This gives individuals an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial system they normally do not see. We hope those attending will gain a better understanding of the court’s function.”

Besides Kirksville, during the past twenty years the court has held sessions in Chillicothe, Columbia, Fulton, Gallatin, Huntsville, Independence, Jefferson City, Keytesville, Lexington, Liberty, Linneus, Macon, Marshall, Maryville, Milan, Moberly, Nevada, Platte City, Richmond, St. Joseph, Savannah, Trenton, Tuscumbia and Warrensburg.
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