487.050. Judges and commissioners, qualifications--reviewability--removal, grounds--terms. - Missouri Statutes

Judges and commissioners, qualifications--reviewability--removal,grounds--terms.

487.050. 1. To the extent feasible, judges designated asfamily court judges and the commissioners appointed undersections 487.020 to 487.040 shall be those who:

(1) Desire to be so assigned;

(2) Have the temperament necessary to deal properly withcases that come before the family court;

(3) Have completed, or within six months after designationor appointment complete, a course of training in family law;

(4) Attend annual continuing education courses to furthertraining in family issues and law.

2. The qualifications contained in this section of anyperson designated as family court judge or appointed commissionershall be reviewable within the superintending control vested inthe supreme court and the districts of the court of appeals byarticle V, section 4 of the Constitution of Missouri.

3. The commissioners shall act at all times in a mannerbefitting a member of the bench. The commissioner shall devotefull time to the duties of commissioner and shall not engage inthe private practice of law.

4. A commissioner may be removed from office during a termby a majority of the circuit and associate circuit judges en bancupon proof at a hearing before such judges of crime, misconduct,habitual drunkenness, willful neglect of duty, corruption inoffice, incompetency or any offense involving moral turpitude oroppression in office or unsatisfactory performance of duties.

5. Judges designated as family court judges shall serve insuch capacity for a term of four years unless such judge's termis either extended at such family court judge's option orshortened with the agreement of the family court judge and thepresiding judge.

(L. 1993 H.B. 346 § 3)