President's page: Independence of the judiciary is essential

Athena Dickson is 2025-2026 Missouri Bar president.

Dear colleagues,

It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as your president this year. I look forward to traveling across our state, connecting with and supporting as many of you as possible. I also plan to emphasize and encourage leadership within our profession and our charge to serve the public by enhancing the legal profession, the administration of justice, and the rule of law. 

At the heart of our system lies a critical principle: independence of the judiciary. 

Our judiciary exemplifies impartiality, competence, and diligence — the hallmarks of leadership in our profession. This begins with how judges are selected under Missouri’s Non-Partisan Court Plan, commonly known as The Missouri Plan.

Under The Missouri Plan, for all of our appellate judges and trial judges in six judicial circuits, non-partisan commissions of lawyers and lay people evaluate applicants to select the best three candidates to fill an open judgeship. Those three qualified applicants are then sent to the governor, who will appoint one of those candidates to the position. Judges appointed by the governor are evaluated for retention by the voters in uncontested elections at the next general election following 12 months in office. Supreme Court of Missouri and Missouri Court of Appeals judges serve 12-year terms, circuit judges serve six-year terms, and associate circuit judges serve four-year terms.

Recent years, however, have brought growing pressures on this venerable system. Political criticisms of The Missouri Plan and intensely contested retention elections have become more frequent. In November 2024, there were 71 Missouri judges on the ballot for retention. Many of these judges were subjected to attacks in their retention elections based on prior legal opinions. As lawyers, we understand that judges are ethically bound to set aside any personal opinions and are expected to make decisions based solely on the law and facts presented. 

Following the 2024 retention election, 2024-2025 Missouri Bar President Shelly Dreyer established the Special Committee on the Impartiality of the Judiciary in February 2025. The committee’s goal was to identify the appropriate involvement of The Missouri Bar in defending the judiciary, evaluate communication plans, and determine means to defend The Missouri Plan. It was determined that additional work was necessary since the bar’s prior 20-year-old policy did not address current technologies and social media attacks — especially when social media magnifies criticism, and attacks can spread instantly across platforms. 

For months, the committee devoted itself to reviewing the existing bar policies, comparing practices in other jurisdictions, evaluating current civic education efforts, and identifying best practices and necessary improvements. Their work culminated in a forward-looking policy proposal, adopted during the July 2025 Missouri Bar Board of Governors meeting, the “Policy for Response to Criticism of Judges and Courts.” 

This newly adopted policy establishes a structured protocol for addressing unjust or unfounded criticism of the judiciary. It emphasizes flexibility and rapid response, while meticulously preserving a record of actions taken. Should The Missouri Bar itself be unable to respond, the policy provides that Board of Governors members may take individual action — without representing the bar officially. Bar leaders will also regularly review, develop, and implement educational initiatives in support of The Missouri Plan. The policy also encourages lawyers and bar leaders to partner with the judiciary through speaking engagements and civic education — reinforcing public understanding of judicial selection and retention. 

This balanced approach respects the judiciary’s limitations in responding to criticism while empowering The Missouri Bar to help educate and inform the public to preserve the integrity of our legal system. 

By helping students and the public understand the merits of The Missouri Plan, the significance of judicial retention elections, and the broader necessity of civics education, we empower informed citizenship. I plan to educate across the state during my time as president, and I encourage you to join me. 

You can get involved with The Missouri Bar to volunteer during events like Show Me the Constitution and Summer Institute, present to students during Constitution Day, and more. Email CitizenshipEducation@mobar.org for more information on ways you can get involved and even better serve your communities. 

Thank you to all Missouri judges for your unwavering commitment to impartiality, competence, and diligence. And a special word of gratitude to the members of the Special Committee on the Impartiality of the Judiciary for your extraordinary leadership and dedication to strengthening our profession.