(a) Judges of this Court shall elect from their number a chief justice to preside over the Court en banc who shall serve for a term of two years and shall be the administrative officer of the Court.
Rule 82.01.Terms and Duties of Chief Justice and Presiding Judges--Supreme Court.
Part II · Rule 82: Terms and Duties of Chief Justice and Judges of This Court and the Court of Appeals—Designation of Court of Appeals and Districts Thereof—Duties and Other Matters Relating to the State Courts Administrator and Other Court Personnel · Last amended July 1, 2013 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 82.01 has the Missouri Supreme Court's own judges elect a chief justice to serve a two-year term as the Court's administrative officer, and has each division elect its own presiding judge on the same two-year cycle.
Full Text of Rule 82.01
(b) A presiding judge of each division of this Court shall be elected by the judges thereof, shall serve a term of two years, and shall be the administrative officer of the division.
Amendment History
Adopted June 1, 1971, eff. Jan. 1, 1972; Amended Dec. 27, 2012, eff. July 1, 2013.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 82.01 sets how the Missouri Supreme Court organizes its own leadership. The judges of the Court elect a chief justice from among themselves. That chief justice serves a two-year term and acts as the administrative officer of the Court sitting en banc.
Each division of the Court elects its own presiding judge the same way — chosen by the judges of that division, serving a two-year term, and acting as the administrative officer of that division, not the full Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who elects the Missouri Supreme Court's chief justice?
The judges of the Court elect the chief justice from among themselves.
How long does the chief justice serve?
A term of two years.
What does the chief justice do?
Serves as the administrative officer of the Court sitting en banc.
Does each division of the Supreme Court have its own presiding judge?
Yes, elected by the judges of that division.
How long does a division's presiding judge serve?
A term of two years, the same as the chief justice.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: missouri chief justicesupreme court presiding judgechief justice termadministrative officer of the court