She fills spot left by Judge Laura Denvir Stith’s retirement
Judge Robin Ransom on Monday became the first Black woman to be appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court.
The St. Louis resident is only the fifth woman to serve on the state’s highest court since its founding in 1820 and is Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s first Supreme Court appointment.
“Of course, it’s not lost on me, the historic nature of this appointment to be the first African American woman appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court.” – Judge Robin Ransom
She will fill the spot left by the retirement of Judge Laura Denvir Stith in March.
Ransom was one of three judges announced Friday who were the final considerations for the nomination.
“Of course, it’s not lost on me, the historic nature of this appointment to be the first African American woman appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court,” Ransom said during a news conference.
Ransom said she grew up in north St. Louis, and is the daughter of a firefighter who worked and lived in a segregated engine house. She noted that her mother still lives in the Fairground Park neighborhood.
“This is a very happy day for my mom, myself and my entire family and I am just very sorry that my father, who passed in 2007, did not live to see this day,” Ransom said. “But I know he is looking down and he is also very honored.”
Ransom was appointed to serve on the Eastern District Court of Appeals by Parson in 2019, where she became only the second African American to sit on that court’s bench.
Prior to that, she served for approximately 11 years as a circuit judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit in St. Louis. In 2018, she was elected to become the first Black woman to preside over that court.
Ransom also served for six years as a Family Court Commissioner in St. Louis and has also served in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as well as the St. Louis County Public Defender’s Office.
In a media release, Chief Justice George W. Draper III welcomed Ransom to the court.
“Judge Ransom brings years of experience to our bench, with a distinguished career in litigation, family courts and the trial bench before her appellate service,” Draper wrote.
“She also is a trailblazer, becoming the first woman of color ever to serve on our state’s high court. She is passionate about the law, and we welcome the energy, enthusiasm and experience she brings to our bench.”
Ransom also thanked Gov. Parson for the “courage” to appoint her.
“When you talk about history, you know, I was raised that I can’t cure all the social ills and injustices that are out there and this appointment won’t do that,” Ransom said.
“But what this appointment does show is that this governor has the courage to make such an appointment, that he has great vision for this state, and he knows how great this state is and what this state can be. I am very honored to be a part of that and I am very dedicated to showing that I am worthy of this appointment.”
She said because she and Parson met in 2019 when she was selected for court of appeals, the two have a history and familiarity with each other. That, she said, made their recent interviews and conversations “very simple.”
“I have no doubt that Judge Ransom will add valuable experience, perspective and balance to the court,” Parson said.
“I am confident that she will continue to be a fair enforcer of the law,” Parson said. “Faithfully interpret the law as written and reasonably consider decisions at the trial and appellate level.”
When asked, Parson said he has no idea what cases or issues will end up before the Missouri Supreme Court and said Ransom’s appointment so soon after the finalists were announced on Friday was a product of the great work his team completed throughout the process.
“Once we knew who the final three were, all of those three we knew a lot about, we’d … vetted them, seen their work and it was a matter of just picking out that one — and I just thought there was no use just to string this out for a week or two, I wanted to get it done,” Parson said.
In a media release, Chief Justice George W. Draper III welcomed Ransom to the court.
Parson was unable to provide a start date for Ransom.
Ransom holds a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and an undergraduate degree in political science and sociology from Douglass Residential College-Rutgers University.
Missouri Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City is the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chair. She released a statement shortly after Ransom’s appointment.
“In nearly 200 years of statehood, only two Black judges – and no Black women – have served on the Missouri Supreme Court,” Bland wrote. “We are pleased to see Black women finally represented on our highest court with the appointment of Judge Robin Ransom. Although this is a historic day, the fact that it took two centuries to happen highlights the continued need to address inequities in all aspects of Missouri’s judicial system.”
The four women who served on the Missouri Supreme Court before Judge Ransom are Judge Ann K. Covington, who was the first woman appointed to the court in 1989 and served until 2001; Judge Patricia A. Breckenridge, who was appointed in 2007 and is still serving; Judge Mary Rhodes Russell, who was appointed in 2004 and is still serving; and Judge Stith, who was appointed in 2001 and retired in March.
