JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson appointed Chris Limbaugh, who has been serving as his general counsel, as an associate circuit judge in Cole County Tuesday.
Limbaugh was appointed as an associate circuit judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit. The vacancy was created by Cotton Walker’s election to circuit judge in November.
“Chris has served as a valuable member of my staff since I took office, and although his contribution to this office will be greatly missed, we are excited for him to take this important opportunity to serve on the bench in one of the most significant judicial circuits in the state,” Parson said. “Chris’s family has a long history of service in the judiciary, and I am certain he will carry out his legacy with distinction.”
Limbaugh said it has “been such a great honor” to have served in the Parson administration.
“I have had a wonderfully challenging experience advising the governor on the major legal issues effecting state government, assisting with the appointments of judges and prosecutors whenever vacancies have occurred, and dealing with a huge variety of other responsibilities as well,” Limbaugh told The Missouri Times. “I am very grateful to the governor for his trust and confidence in me not only in the role of general counsel, but now in my new position as associate judge for the Cole County Circuit Court. And as I embark on this new venture in my legal career, I am so very blessed, too, for the mentorship of my family of judges and lawyers.”
Limbaugh has served as the general counsel — chief legal officer for Parson since 2018. He was appointed as the Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney in 2012 by then-Gov. Jay Nixon and was unopposed in his election to a four-year term in 2014. As the prosecuting attorney, he oversaw more than 2,000 felony and misdemeanor cases per year.
Limbaugh is a graduate of Southern Methodist University as well as the University of Missouri School of Law.
In a press release Tuesday, the Governor’s Office noted litigation involving the state of Missouri often originates in Cole County — making the appointment particularly meaningful.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
