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Mo. voters to decide on changes to judge selection

A proposed constitutional amendment to revise the selection process for appellate judges is headed to Missouri voters.

Members of the Missouri Supreme Court and the state Court of Appeals are appointed by the governor from three finalists recommended by a special commission. The commission is made up of one Supreme Court judge, three lawyers and three non-lawyers picked by the governor.

Under the proposed amendment, the commission would nominate four finalists. The proposal also would replace the Supreme Court judge on the commission with a fourth person chosen by the governor. A former appellate judge would serve as a nonvoting member of the commission.

House members on Thursday gave the proposal final legislative approval 84-71. It passed the Senate last week.

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