Argus Staff Report
ST. LOUIS — In a unanimous vote reflecting the confidence and respect of her colleagues, Judge Renée D. Hardin-Tammons has been elected Chief Judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District. Her one-year term begins July 1, 2026.
The appointment marks another milestone in a distinguished legal career spanning public service, private practice, and judicial leadership. Appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, in September 2022 by Governor Michael L. Parson, Hardin-Tammons has served on the state’s largest appellate court while helping shape decisions affecting communities across eastern Missouri.
A graduate of the University of Missouri–St. Louis, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice, cum laude, before receiving her law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law.
Her legal career began in the St. Louis County Public Defender’s Office and the St. Louis County Counselor’s Office. While in private practice with Dubail Judge PC, she served as a municipal judge from 1999 through 2017.
In 2017, she was appointed Associate Circuit Judge for St. Louis County’s 21st Judicial Circuit and retained by voters in 2018. She was appointed Circuit Judge in 2019, retained in 2020, and served until her appointment to the Court of Appeals. Missouri voters retained her in November 2024 for a 12-year term expiring December 31, 2036.
As Chief Judge, Hardin-Tammons will oversee court administration while continuing to hear appeals from 25 eastern Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis. The Eastern District is the largest appellate court in Missouri.
Her election also highlights the Missouri Plan, the state’s merit-based judicial selection system that combines gubernatorial appointment with voter retention elections.
Located in the historic Old Post Office in downtown St. Louis, the court regularly hears cases of statewide significance and periodically conducts sessions throughout the district.
Judge Hardin-Tammons’ election reflects the confidence of her colleagues and continues a career dedicated to public service, judicial excellence, and equal justice under the law.
