FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Municipal Court Judge Wendy Garrison has been named chief judge of the court, effective July 3. She replaces Todd Thornhill, who passed away in April. The City will fill the vacancy created by Garrison’s promotion to chief judge as soon as possible.
“Wendy was selected using a very thorough and competitive process,” said City Manager Jason Gage. “She is very bright, experienced and has a terrific approach. We truly look forward to having Wendy as our municipal court chief judge.”
Garrison joined the City as a Municipal Court judge in January 2018. She previously served as an assistant public defender IV for the state of Missouri in Springfield. She was a partner in the law firm of Twibell, Johnson, Johnson & Garrison in Springfield from 2002 until 2010. She was in private practice in Neosho from 1998 until 2002, where she also served as a conflicts attorney for the Missouri State Public Defender. Garrison’s law experience also includes serving as an assistant city attorney for the city of Neosho and as a Newton County assistant prosecuting attorney. Garrison also served as a law clerk for the Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District.
Garrison received her law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law and her bachelor of arts degree in English from Drury University.
She is a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association and a 2015 recipient of Missouri Lawyers Media’s Public Service Practitioner Award and a 2010 recipient of Springfield Business Journal Twenty Most Influential Women Award.
“It is an honor to be selected as chief judge for Municipal Court,” Garrison said. “We have a great team of employees and it is a privilege to lead them.”
Garrison’s salary will be $145,000.
Download Garrison’s portrait.
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For more information or to set up an interview with Judge Garrison, please contact Cora Scott at 417-380-3352 or [email protected].