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Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Wilson delivers his State of the Judiciary address in Jefferson City on March 8, 2022, as House Speaker Rob Vescovo (left) and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe listen (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Security is a top priority for Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice

Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Wilson delivers his State of the Judiciary address in Jefferson City on March 8, 2022, as House Speaker Rob Vescovo (left) and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe listen (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The Missouri Supreme Court’s chief justice says the state of the judicial branch is sound. Chief Justice Paul Wilson delivered his State of the Judiciary address on Tuesday in Jefferson City.

He credits Missouri’s 350 trial judges and the more than 3,000 court clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, juvenile officers and juvenile detention officers.

“They are the ones who kept the courts open through the pandemic. They are the ones who work to help keep Missouri kids safe. Who collect and disperse more than $100-million every year,” Wilson says.

Chief Justice Wilson says those employees schedule every court hearing. He says more than 750,000 circuit court cases were resolved in Missouri in 2021.

Meantime, Chief Justice Wilson is calling on state lawmakers to approve bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting the private personal information of judges and their families. He emphasized court security during State of the Judiciary.

“Missouri judges have been harassed online and at home, they’ve been threatened, and they’ve had their personal information posted on the web,” Wilson tells state lawmakers.

Missouri lawmakers from both chambers listen as State Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Wilson delivers his State of the Judiciary address on March 8, 2022 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Chief Justice Wilson says 11 states have approved legislation enhancing safety for judges.

He thanks State Rep. Bruce DeGroot (R-Chesterfield) for filing the Judicial Privacy Act. Degroot’s House Bill 2037 creates a felony offense of knowingly publicly posting on the internet personal information of a judicial officer or the officer’s immediate family for purposes of tampering with a judicial officer.

DeGroot’s bill has not been scheduled for a House committee hearing yet.

 

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