Five people appointed, reappointed to Judicial Performance Review Committee

The Missouri Bar Board of Governors appointed Phyllis Battle, Dr. Marie Peoples, and Sarah Devlin and reappointed Katharyn Davis and Katherine Thompson to the Judicial Performance Review Committee during its May 13 meeting.

The independent, 21-member Judicial Performance Review Committee evaluates the performances of appellate and trial judges appointed under the constitutional nonpartisan selection process, also known as The Missouri Plan, using judicial performance review standards. The committee was established pursuant to Supreme Court of Missouri Rules 10.50 through 10.55. It contains nine members of The Missouri Bar, nine Missouri residents who are not bar members, and one retired judge from each district of the Missouri Court of Appeals. The Missouri Bar Board of Governors appoints both the lawyer and non-lawyer members. The Supreme Court of Missouri appoints the three seats held by retired judges. 

Battle is a senior industrial engineer at Honeywell FM&T in Kansas City and a graduate from North Carolina State University. Battle’s term will begin July 1.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Judicial Performance Review Committee and to represent the people of Missouri,” Battle said. “I will work diligently to ensure that our judges are upholding the principles on which our judicial system is built.”  

Katharyn Davis is a lawyer at Davis & Travaglini, LLC, and has served on several committees, including as chair of the Practice and Procedure Division. She is a graduate of Washington University School of Law and joined The Missouri Bar in 1985.

Davis said serving on the Judicial Performance Review Committee is a “great honor.”

“I look forward to working with lawyers and members of the community from across Missouri to provide this important service,” Davis said. “The Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan is a sound way to pick judges, and the Judicial Performance Review Committee is just one way to support that plan.”

Devlin works as associate general counsel for the Missouri State Board of Nursing and is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law. She joined The Missouri Bar in 2009 and has served on multiple bar committees and graduated from Leadership Academy. Devlin’s term on the committee will start July 1.

“With practice experience in nearly half of Missouri's judicial circuits, I am a firm believer in the ability of our Non-Partisan Court Plan to seat better judges and create more equal justice,” Devlin said. “I am honored to fulfill this role helping Missourians make more informed decisions by providing them insight on the performance of their judges.”

A graduate of Walden University, Peoples has held several managerial roles and is currently the city manager of Webster Groves. Her term on the Judicial Performance Review Committee will begin July 1.

“The Judicial Performance Review Committee is a critical component of the justice system,” Peoples said. “Few things are as tantamount as ensuring that all Missourians receive fair and impartial administration of justice. My career began with Missouri’s justice system, and I am honored to contribute to such an important committee." 

A graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law, Thompson is the legal/regulatory counsel for City Utilities of Springfield and joined The Missouri Bar in 2012.

“I am honored to continue serving on the Judicial Performance Review Committee,” Thompson said. “The committee plays an important role in evaluating feedback from the community, as well as judges, to facilitate a fair review process that voters can rely on. We continuously strive to improve this process and I look forward to supporting those efforts in my next term.”

Battle, Devlin, Davis, Peoples, and Thompson will end their terms May 31, 2028.

All members of The Missouri Bar are encouraged to join committee and section activities. Lawyers can choose from more than 40 open enrollment committees and sections that each specialize in a substantive area of law, practice setting, or community. To join a committee or section, visit MoBar.org/Committees-Sections.