Two Republicans will vie for the Jefferson County Division 12 associate circuit judge position.
Antonio “Tony” Manansala currently presides over Division 12 but is now running for the Division 15 seat.
Renee Reuter, state representative for District 112, and Colby Smith-Hynes, deputy director of legal services for the Jefferson County Juvenile Office, are running in the Aug. 4 primary for the position.
Because no Democrats filed for the seat, the winner of the Republican Party’s primary will be sworn in to the four-year term in January.
Associate circuit judges serve four-year terms and are paid approximately $167,833.
Reuter, 57, of Imperial, has been the state representative for District 112 of the Missouri House since 2023. She is a member of the general laws and judiciary committees, the special committee on intergovernmental affairs and the Missouri court automation committee. She has been a deputy whip since 2023. She is a member of the Women’s Legislators, Labor and Futures caucuses. She served on the Jefferson County Council from 2011-2022, serving as chairperson for five years. She has been a member of several organizations including the Jefferson County Library Foundation Board of Directors, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jefferson County Federated Republican Women Club and Missouri Federated Republican Women Club. She graduated from Windsor High School, attended Jefferson College, earned an associate’s degree from Pikes Peak Community College, a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Colorado College and a juris doctor degree from St. Louis University School of Law. For 22 years, she worked at Enterprise Holdings, developing and protecting the company’s intellectual property portfolio around the world. For the past six years, she has been an attorney at Armstrong Teasdale, LLP. She has two children and three grandchildren.
Smith-Hynes, 56, of Hillsboro, is the deputy director of legal services for the Jefferson County Juvenile Office. He received a juris doctor degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He received a bachelor’s degree in socio-political communications from Missouri State University. He served in the Air Force Fire Protection and Base Honor Guard in active duty from 1989-1990 and on ready reserve from 1990-1994. He served as a municipal judge for Hillsboro from 2007-2020 and Herculaneum (provisional) from 2004-2024. He has served as the municipal judge for Byrnes Mill since 2006 and for Pevely since 2022. He has been appointed by various Jefferson County judges as a guardian ad litem and mediator in domestic relations cases for more than 20 years. From 2022-2024, he was a senior trial attorney for the Juvenile Office for two years. From 2007-2022, he was an attorney and managing member of Smith-Hynes Law Firm. He was an associate attorney with Breeze, Roberts, Ponder-Bates & Zimmer from 2002-2007. He is currently a member of the Missouri Bar, the Jefferson County Bar Association, Missouri Juvenile Justice Association Board of Directors and the Missouri Municipal and Associate Circuit Judges Association Board of Directors. He has three children.
Why should voters elect you, and what are your goals if elected?
Reuter: Vote for me because I am passionate about serving. I have over 25 years of legal experience and 16 years of public service experience. I am vice chairman of the Missouri House judiciary committee and a member of the Missouri court automation committee. I understand court systems and have seen future plans for court automation. I’ve developed key relationships with legislators and people serving in Jefferson County, Missouri Circuit, Appellate and Supreme Courts, and U.S. and foreign countries, in government administrative offices, court systems, international arbitration and mediation. I can read and write the law, follow the law and apply the law. My goals are to serve honorably, work hard, be fair and consistent, serve the people to the best of my ability and follow the law. Finally, I’ll continue working to fund a new courthouse.
Smith-Hynes: Voters should elect me because I bring decades of courtroom experience, judicial experience and a commitment to fairness, impartiality and the rule of law. I understand that a judge’s responsibility is to apply the law fairly and treat every person who enters the courtroom with dignity and respect. My goal is to provide a courtroom that is efficient, respectful and accessible while ensuring that every decision is based on the facts, the law and sound judicial reasoning. I believe experience matters in the courtroom, and my years of service as a judge and involvement in the judicial community have prepared me to serve Jefferson County with integrity and professionalism.
What are the biggest challenges facing Missouri’s circuit court system, as well as the division you are seeking to serve?
Reuter: Trust in our court system is low. More than half of Americans feel that litigants are treated unfairly, and decisions are improperly impacted by politics, money and court system complexity. In other words, some believe we have a legal system, but not a justice system - that the system is not just. Judges should be fair and consistent.
Courts should increase the focus on drug rehabilitation. Over 65 percent of adults and 50 percent of juveniles test positive for drug use when arrested. The repeat offense rate for drug offenses is nearly 67 percent. Up to 80 percent of child abuse/neglect and nearly 50 percent of domestic violence cases are substance abuse-related. Getting more substance-abusing defendants into treatment should lower repeat offenses, save costs and improve outcomes. Drug courts should serve more people – more resources are needed.
Smith-Hynes: One of the biggest challenges facing Missouri courts is maintaining timely access to justice while managing increasing caseloads and limited resources. Courts must continue finding ways to operate efficiently without sacrificing fairness, attention to detail or due process. In Jefferson County, continued growth creates challenges in balancing the needs of the community with the resources available to the court system. Associate circuit judges must be prepared to handle a wide range of matters, including civil, criminal, traffic, family and other cases, while ensuring each person receives a fair and impartial hearing. The public’s confidence in the judiciary depends on judges who are experienced, prepared, respectful and committed to the integrity of the court.
How would you define your role as an associate circuit judge?
Reuter: An associate circuit judge serves the people by hearing and resolving a wide variety of civil and criminal cases. Each associate circuit judge will hear cases assigned to them by the circuit’s presiding judge. Generally, associate circuit judges will handle preliminary criminal matters, misdemeanors, civil cases under $25,000 and traffic violations. My duty as an associate circuit judge is to handle cases assigned to me in an efficient manner without undue delay. I pledge to serve honorably, work hard, be fair and consistent, serve the people to the best of my ability and follow the law.
Smith-Hynes: An associate circuit judge’s role is to serve as a neutral and impartial decision-maker. The judge is not an advocate for one side or the other, but a guardian of the law and the judicial process. My responsibility would be to listen carefully, review the facts, apply the law and make decisions based on evidence and legal principles. A judge must have patience, compassion and understanding while also having the ability to make difficult decisions when required. The courtroom should be a place where people are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances. My role would be to uphold the Constitution, protect the rights of all parties and maintain public trust in the judicial system.
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