Attorneys and judges hopeful of winning a spot on the Missouri Supreme Court took turns publicly recounting their qualifications Wednesday as a special nominating panel opened the doors for the first time on its once secretive interview sessions, reports the Associated Press. The seven members of the Appellate Judicial Commission asked prospective members of the state's highest court about their work experiences, mentors and whether they could review legal cases with a “clean slate.”
Fewer than two dozen people, several of whom were with the media or an activist group, watched the interviews, which are scheduled to continue on Thursday. The nominating commission is to whittle the 13 applicants down to three finalists from which Gov. Jay Nixon can appoint a replacement for Judge Michael Wolff, who resigned in August after 13 years on the court. The panel's deliberation process will remain closed to the public, though it plans to release its vote for the nominees.