Kelly Moorhouse 16th Judicial Circuit (Jackson County)

Recommendations

The 16th Circuit Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee recommends that Judge Kelly Moorhouse BE RETAINED.

Position

Circuit Judge

Evaluation Year

2008

Background

Judge Moorhouse was appointed to the Jackson County Circuit Court (16th Judicial Circuit) in 2000. She graduated from University of Missouri Columbia and from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1985.

Before her appointment to the court, Judge Moorhouse was in private practice in Kansas City. She served as an attorney for the juvenile officer of the Jackson County Family Court, and served as a Jackson County Family Court Commissioner.

Discussion

Judge Moorhouse was evaluated by attorneys who appeared in court before her, and by jurors who served in trials over which she presided. Attorneys rated judges in 16 separate categories on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best rating. The attorney ratings for Judge Moorhouse included: 4.49 on treating people equally; 4.45 on maintaining and requiring proper order and decorum in the courtroom; 4.42 on demonstrating appropriate demeanor; 3.75 on effectively using pretrial procedure; 3.79 on rulings on dispositive motions; and 3.83 on being prepared for hearings and trials.