Missouri Press-Bar Commission welcomes three new members

The Missouri Press-Bar Commission has welcomed three new members – Chad Stebbins, Hon. Susan Casey, and Dan Curry.  

The commission, comprised of journalists, judges, and lawyers, was formed in 1972 to improve interactions and understanding between journalists and members of the legal profession. The commission creates projects and programs to better educate the public and encourage cooperation between the press and legal professionals to strengthen service to the First and Sixth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. 

Chad Stebbins became executive director of the Missouri Press Association in January 2025. He has served as the executive director of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors since 1999.

“My predecessor at the Missouri Press Association, Mark Maassen, said joining the Missouri Press-Bar Commission was a must,” Stebbins said. “He said it was a great opportunity to meet representatives from the courts, broadcasters, and newspapers. I was thrilled to learn that there was such an organization dedicated to improving communication and cooperation between all of these entities. Protecting and preserving the First Amendment is vital to all of our interests."

Hon. Susan Casey is an associate circuit judge in Platte County (6th judicial circuit). She said she was delighted to join the Missouri Press-Bar Commission as a representative of the Missouri Association of Probate and Associate Circuit Judges and Commissioners.

“I studied journalism in college and was a freelance writer for The Kansas City Star several years ago,” Casey said. “I have always enjoyed First Amendment issues, and I appreciate the interface between courts and journalists.”

Dan Curry is a lawyer at Brown, Curry & Duggan in Kansas City and the Missouri Press Association hotline lawyer.

“The Missouri Press-Bar Commission performs vital work in Missouri, and I want to do my part to help our newspapers and courts work together to communicate,” Curry said.

During its April 18 meeting, the commission discussed several items of interest to Missouri journalists and legal professionals, including the status of Gross v. State of Missouri. Hon. Aaron Martin ruled in December 2024 that a state statute passed in 2023 requiring redaction of witness and victim names and other personal information was unconstitutional and unenforceable under the federal and state constitutions. The Missouri attorney general informed the plaintiffs that the state would not seek appeal.

The commission also discussed the closure, security levels, and sealing of court cases and their access to the public.

Learn more about the Missouri Press-Bar Commission here.