Missouri Court of Appeals to Hear Cases at William Jewell College

The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene court at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. The arguments will take place at Yates-Gill College Union on campus beginning at 9:00 a.m.

A three-judge panel, consisting of Western District judges Cynthia Martin and Gary Witt and Missouri Supreme Court Judge W. Brent Powell, will hear oral arguments in four cases on the docket. After the oral arguments, the judges will take time to discuss the court system, explain the proceedings, and take questions from the audience.

Chief Judge Martin will preside over the proceedings at William Jewell. Judge Martin joined the Western District in 2009. She practiced law in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit before joining the Court. She is a 1981 graduate of William Jewell College. Judge Witt was appointed to the Western District in 2010. Immediately prior to his appointment, he served as an associate circuit judge in the 6th Judicial Circuit (Platte County). Previously, he practiced law in Platte County and served in the Missouri House of Representatives. Judge Witt is a 1987 graduate of William Jewell College. Judge Powell was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court in 2017. Prior to that, he served as a circuit court judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit (Jackson County). Judge Powell is a 1992 graduate of William Jewell College.

The Court typically convenes court in Kansas City. However, for over twenty years, the Court has held dockets in several of the 45 counties in the Court’s jurisdiction, which includes all of northwest Missouri and most of central Missouri. The Court hears oral arguments outside of Kansas City to give individuals an opportunity to observe a part of the judicial system they normally do not see and to familiarize those attending with the Court's role in the judicial system.

KPGZ News - Jim Dickerson contributed to this story