Gov. Parson appoints Corey Herron to presiding judge seat in 4th Judicial Circuit | News

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson appointed Judge Corey Herron as circuit judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit of Missouri Jan 28.

Herron has been serving as associate circuit judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit and will now fill the circuit judge role, which became vacant after Judge Roger Prokes retired from the position in Nov.

In the months following Prokes retirement, Herron maintained his role as associate circuit judge, but he was also appointed by Parson as acting presiding judge for the 4th circuit. Herrron will continue that role and hear cases from Nodaway, Atchison, Holt, Gentry and Worth counties.

Herron has served the 4th circuit in several capacities, including presiding over treatment court. Also known as drug courttreatment court is a way the justice system has worked with local and state resources to get repeat drug offenders help with addictions.

“(Treatment court) is probably one of the best things courts have done in a long time,” Herron said. “We have the authority of the courts behind us, and we have all the resources in place the best we can to provide people the help they need — and that they really can’t get any other way.”

Herron was born in Fairfax, Missouri, and was raised in Atchison County, near Rock Port, Missouri, on a family farm. He graduated from Rock Port High School and went on to attend the University of Missouri – Columbia to pursue a degree in law.

In college, he participated and became an officer in Phi Delta Alpha, a fraternity in the law school. The organization focused on both social and service activities.

Herron earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri. Following graduation, Herron passed the Missouri Bar Exam and began practicing law as a private attorney in 1996. He worked in that capacity out of Trenton, Missouri, at the law firm of Andereck, Evans, Milne, Widger & Johnson until December of 2008.

Then, Herron became associate circuit judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit, the role he held just before being appointed circuit judge by the governor at the end of January.

Now, with his combined 25 and 1/2 years in law, Herron looks forward to the experiences of his new role in the 4th Judicial Circuit will give him. While the associate circuit judge position is not vastly different from his new role, it typically comes with more frequent trial and civil cases, Herron said.

From his experiences, Herron said he’s learned just how important the law is to society. Quoting another judge he remembers “the law is hard, but it is the law.”

“It’s the only unifying constant we have … in order to ensure fairness and a sense of order, and if we don’t follow it and just do whatever we want, then chaos reigns,” Herron said. “That’s not to say that laws can’t change — that’s not to say laws can’t be improved.”

Outside of work, when Herron is not on the bench hearing cases, he enjoys spending time outdoors and serving as chauffeur number one for his son, taking him to sports practices and games.

Herron himself has a pretty good short game on the green. His long game, he said, could use some work.

“I barely have time to practice, either,” Herron said through a chuckle. “Most of my free time is chasing my son around, season to season.”

Herron is one of a collection of appointments Parson has made to circuits across the state at the beginning of 2022. Last week, Parson announced judicial appointments to the 3rd, 11th and 20th Judicial Circuits, respectively.