Gloria Clark Reno 21st Judicial Circuit (St. Louis County)

Recommendations

The 21st Judicial Circuit Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee recommends that Judge Gloria Clark Reno BE RETAINED.

Position

Circuit Judge

Evaluation Year

2010

Background

Judge Reno has been a circuit judge since April 2009 and, prior to that, an associate circuit judge since 2002. Her judicial assignments since the last retention election have included civil, criminal and equity jury trial and Family Court.

Judge Reno received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri- St. Louis and her law degree from Saint Louis University. She is a member of The Missouri Bar, the Mound City Bar Association, the Women’s Lawyers Association, National Association of Women Judges, and the Missouri Association of Probate & Associate Circuit Judges.

Discussion

Attorneys were asked to rate judges on 18 criteria on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the highest score. More than 300 attorneys responded with respect to Judge Reno. The lowest scores Judge Reno received was 3.11 (is competent in the law) and 3.23 (rulings on dispositive motions state reasons and consistently apply the substantive law). Her highest scores included treating people equally (3.91) and displaying fairness and impartiality (3.77).

Fifty-eight juror surveys were returned with responses pertaining to Judge Reno. Jury surveys were answered “yes” or “no,” with “yes” being a positive response and “no” being a negative response. Of the 10 criteria surveyed, Judge Reno received an average of 56 positive responses to every criteria.

The committee also reviewed a “Findings of Facts, Conclusions of Law, and Judgment” written by Judge Reno and found the ruling to be well-reasoned, concise, and consistent with the case law cited therein.