Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor named circuit judge

Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor will be appointed presiding judge for the 36th Judicial Circuit later this month.

The announcement was made Friday, Nov. 3, by Gov. Mike Parson. It will come as current presiding Judge Michael Pritchett retires.

"It's very humbling and I'm very excited," Proctor said.

Pritchett praised Proctor for his determination and years of service.

"I think he'll do a fine job. He's done an excellent job as a prosecuting attorney and is a hard worker, and is dedicated to whatever position he serves," Pritchett said.

Parson's office sought applicants for Pritchett's position ahead of his mandated retirement Thursday, Nov. 16.

Proctor will leave his current position but expects the office to be filled soon.

"I will obviously have some loose ends that I need to tie up before I would actually take office in November as the presiding circuit judge," he said. "So there'll be a vacancy as the elected prosecutor here and that will be filled, I'm sure, quickly after I vacate the office."

Proctor's office reported a new prosecuting attorney will be appointed by Parson but no timeline is in place.

The transition between judges will be carried out in the "usual manner," Pritchett added, and his remaining cases will automatically be assigned to Proctor.

"I worked with him when he was an assistant prosecutor at Ripley County and also as Butler County prosecuting attorney. And he's done an excellent job in his representation of the communities," Pritchett said.

Proctor has spent his 11-year law career in rural Missouri. He was elected as Butler County prosecutor in 2018. He was previously an assistant prosecuting attorney in Taney and Ripley counties and interim prosecuting attorney for Carter County. He has also served as the municipal prosecutor for the city of Poplar Bluff. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Southeast Missouri State University and a juris doctor from Saint Louis University.

Pritchett was elected 36th judicial circuit judge in 2010, and his retirement coincides with his 70th birthday.

"I am very thankful for Judge Pritchett and how well he served our community during his time not only as the circuit judge but also as a very good attorney here locally," Proctor said. "I'm grateful for the example that he set for me and other members of the bar and I wish him the best on his retirement. I also want to thank anybody and everybody that supported me and made recommendations to the governor's office for me to be appointed."

Information concerning how a new prosecuting attorney will be named was not available Friday evening.