After three finalists were announced in September, Missouri now has a new Supreme Court judge. George W. Draper III, currently a judge in the Eastern District Court of Appeals, has been selected by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) for the job, in an announcement released today.
“In his 17 years on the bench and in his 10 years of service as a circuit attorney in St. Louis, Judge Draper has demonstrated a dedication to justice and to serving the people of this state,”Nixon said in a press release. “Those decades of experience and his legal acumen will enable him to be an outstanding judge on the Missouri Supreme Court. I am very pleased to be able to name this eminently qualified jurist to the state’s highest court.”
Draper will also be the first African-American to sit on the state’s highest court since former Judge Ronnie White retired in 2007. In a statement, the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus says it’s extremely pleased with Draper’s appointment, and that his experience made him the best candidate for the job. Draper will be the second African-American overall to sit on on the Missouri Supreme Court.
Draper is a graduate of Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. and completed his undergraduate studies at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Draper has also taught trial advocacy classes at the Saint Louis University School of Law since 1996 while serving on the bench.
