Judge Kelly Broniec, who serves on the Missouri Eastern District Court of Appeals in St. Louis, today was named to the Missouri Supreme Court.
Gov. Mike Parson made his selection from three finalists, including Ginger K. Gooch, of Springfield, who is serving on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. She is a former president of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.
The third judge under consideration was Michael E. Gardner, who is also on the Missouri Eastern District Court of Appeals.
Broniec, 52, will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge George W. Draper III.
“Appointing someone to serve on our state’s highest court and in such a central role to the functioning of our democracy is not something that I take lightly,” Parson said in prepared remarks.
“Not only is Judge Broniec an exceptional jurist but she’s an even better person,” Parson said. “She is a proud woman of faith who comes from humble beginnings and worked hard to pave her own way.”
Broniec’s swearing-in date has not been set; Missouri law requires her to be sworn in within 30 days of her appointment.
In 2020, Parson appointed Broniec to the Eastern District Court of Appeals. She had served as an associate circuit judge for Montgomery County for nearly 15 years.
She earned her juris doctor degree from the University of Missouri–Columbia School of Law. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from William Woods University.
