Governor Parson Makes Three Appointments to Judicial Circuits

NOVEMBER 20, 2018

Jefferson City — Governor Parson today announced three appointments to various Judicial Circuits.

Lorne J. Baker, JD, of Olivette, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for the 21^st Judicial Circuit, St. Louis County.

Administrative Law Judge Lorne J. Baker was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for the 21^st Judicial Circuit in St. Louis County. He will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge John N. Borbonus III as circuit judge for the 21^st Judicial Circuit. Baker was one of three nominees submitted to the Governor by the 21^st Circuit Judicial Commission on October 25, 2018.

Judge Baker was appointed on October 31, 2016 as an administrative law judge in St. Louis County. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1990 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 1993. After graduating from law school, Judge Baker served as an assistant public defender in St. Louis City from 1994-1999.

Judge Baker is a member of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis, Missouri.

Julie Highley, JD, of Adrian, was appointed as the Bates County Associate Circuit Judge.

Julie Highley, JD was appointed as the Associate Circuit Judge for Bates County. Highley won the August 2018 primary election for the position and ran unopposed in the November 2018 general election. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Debra Hopkins.

Highley has been practicing law since 1999. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law.

During her career, Highley has served as the Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Johnson County and as Legal Counsel for the 17^th Judicial Circuit-Juvenile Division. Highley is currently a member of the Cass County Bar Association and the 27^th Judicial Circuit Bar Association.

Ryan Horsman, JD, of Chillicothe, was appointed as the Circuit Judge of the 43^rd Judicial Circuit, Division 1.

Ryan Horsman, JD was appointed as the Circuit Judge for the 43^rd Judicial Circuit, Division 1. Horsman won the August 2018 primary election for the position and ran unopposed in the November 2018 general election. He will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Thomas N. Chapman.

Horsman has practiced law since 2007. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.