NW Missouri Times

The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, will convene at Northwest Missouri State University on March 31. The session is open to the public and will begin at 1 p.m. in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom.

A panel of three judges, including Western District judges Doug Thomson and Tom Chapman, along with Supreme Court of Missouri Judge Zel M. Fischer, will hear oral arguments for three cases. Following the proceedings, the judges will discuss the court system and answer questions from attendees.

Judge Doug Thomson has been with the Western District since 2020 after serving as an associate circuit judge for Nodaway County in the Fourth Judicial Circuit for over five years. Judge Tom Chapman joined the Western District in 2018 and previously served as a circuit judge for seven years in the 43rd Judicial Circuit covering several counties. Before his judicial appointment, he practiced law in Chillicothe.

Judge Zel M. Fischer was appointed to the Supreme Court of Missouri in 2008 and has prior experience as an associate circuit judge in Atchison County within the Fourth Judicial Circuit. He also practiced law across multiple counties before joining the Supreme Court.

The court has regularly convened at Northwest since 2010 but typically holds sessions in Kansas City. It also conducts dockets throughout its jurisdiction to provide individuals with an opportunity to observe judicial proceedings and understand the court's role within the legal system.