Mike Parson

Melissa Price Smith’s swearing-in follows a monthslong legal fight between Missouri and county officials over who has the power to appoint the prosecutor.

The Missouri Court of Appeals issued the ruling several hours after holding a hearing Thursday.

If Blair’s Law is violated, the first offense would be a Class A misdemeanor, the second a Class E felony and the third a Class D felony.

The ruling from Circuit Judge Brian May of the 21st Circuit will be appealed.

Circuit Judge Brian May said he will issue his decision promptly. His ruling will almost certainly be appealed.

Robert Knodell has been hired to be the next city manager of Poplar Bluff after 3 years leading the Department of Social Services.

Gov. Mike Parson has chosen St. Louis County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Price Smith as the next St. Louis County Prosecutor. County and state leaders are currently in a legal battle over who has the authority to appoint the prosecutor.

Gov. Mike Parson is leaving office in January after more than six and a half years in the job.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page nominated Cort VanOstran to the post Dec. 3, but Gov. Mike Parson has challenged Page’s authority to do so in court.

Cort VanOstran resigned his job as a federal prosecutor this week. He was in private practice before that and ran for Congress in 2018.