Jefferson County Municipal Court prosecutor Vic Melenbrink announced Tuesday (Jan. 5) that he intends to run in the Aug. 2 primary election for the Republican nomination to become the Div. 5 circuit judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit.
Lisa Page is the current Jefferson County Div. 5 circuit judge, but Gov. Jay Nixon recently appointed her to fill a vacancy on the Eastern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals.
So, an election will be held to fill the last two years of the six-year term Page won on the Jefferson County Circuit Court in 2012, and Melenbrink is running for the Republican nomination.
Page started her new duties with the state Court of Appeals Wednesday (Jan. 6), and Nixon is expected to appoint someone to fill her seat on the county Circuit Court until the November general election winner takes the job at the start of 2017.
Melenbrink, 34, has served as Municipal Court prosecutor since 2011. Prior to that he worked as an assistant in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, as an associate with the Schnaare Law Firm in Hillsboro and as a St. Louis County assistant county counselor.
In addition, since 2011 he has been an adjunct instructor teaching constitutional law to police recruits at the Jefferson College Law Enforcement Academy.
Melenbrink is an Eagle Scout and is on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County.
He earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
“I’ve spent most of my career in public service and feel I would make a good judge,” Melenbrink said. “I think I have the right temperament to be a judge and have the right experience.
“I wouldn’t want a job I didn’t think I’d be good at.”
Melenbrink grew up in High Ridge and south St. Louis County and is an Affton High School graduate. He and his wife, Andrea, live in Arnold with their three children and are members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
“My kids are going to grow up in Jefferson County, so working to make it a safe and prosperous place to live is always my top priority,” he said. “I have spent most of my career as a prosecuting attorney doing exactly that.”
In a written statement, he lists the fair administration of justice as another of his priorities.
“The focus of my campaign is ‘Liberty and Justice for All,’” he said. “That is an enormously important phrase to me, particularly as it relates to the duties of a judge. Judges must work to ensure not only that justice is done through enforcement of our local and state laws, but that the liberties of our citizens are not sacrificed to do so. Liberty and justice for all means that everyone has to follow the rules whether you are a police officer or a civilian, whether you are rich or poor.”
Page said it is not known when the governor will appoint her replacement as Div. 5 circuit judge.
“The governor gets a recommendation from the Democratic Central Committee, then can appoint that person or (anyone) he likes,” she said today (Jan. 7).
Page said that even though she already has begun her new job with the Missouri Court of Appeals, she has received permission to continue to review Div. 5 circuit cases for the time being.
Jefferson County Circuit Presiding Judge Robert Wilkins asked the Supreme Court to appoint her as a special judge in Div. 5 so she can continue her work there, Page said.
“I volunteered to help the (23rd Circuit Court) until someone else is appointed,” she said. “I’m working both jobs right now. I’m running my (Div. 5) court the way I always have, performing all my normal duties except for trials that would be subject to an appeal.”
Melenbrink’s annual salary as municipal court prosecutor is about $68,000, while circuit court judges make $146,803 a year.
The general election will be Nov. 8. Filings for the Aug. 2 primary open Feb. 23 and close March 29.