Judge Thomas Mountjoy announced in a letter to the Missouri Supreme Court that he intends to retire on the final day of October.
Mountjoy is one of five circuit judges in Missouri’s 31st Judicial Circuit, which is all of Greene County. The circuit has six circuit judge and six associate circuit judge positions, though one of the circuit judge spots is vacant.
In his letter to Missouri Chief Justice Paul Wilson, Mountjoy wrote that his last day on the job would be Oct. 31. His retirement will conclude a career that spanned about 26 years on the bench.
“It has truly been my great honor and privilege to serve the citizens of this Circuit and of the great state of Missouri as circuit judge, including several terms as presiding judge of the 31st Judicial Circuit,” Mountjoy wrote in his retirement letter. “I am truly grateful for all of the opportunities and privileges for service that have been given to me over my career.”
Mountjoy has been the chair of the committee of presiding judges for the Missouri Supreme Court, and sat in as a special judge on certain cases.
Mountjoy obtained his juris doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1977. Prior to his appointment to judgeship in 1995, he was the director of juvenile court services in Greene County, an assistant prosecuting attorney, and the Greene County prosecutor from 1983 to 1996. Gov. Mel Carnahan appointed Mountjoy to a circuit judge position in 1996. Mountjoy was the Greene County presiding judge from 2010 to 2018.
Mountjoy’s pending retirement comes alongside two other pending circuit judge retirements in Greene County. On Aug. 7, Circuit Judge Michael Cordonnier submitted a notification of retirement.
Circuit Judge Jason Brown submitted a letter to Chief Justice Wilson stating he would not run for retention in the November election, and that he intends to allow his term to expire at the end of 2022.
