A seventh-generation Missourian, Mary R. Russell was appointed to the Supreme
Court of Missouri in 2004, and retained by a majority vote of the citizens of Missouri in
November 2006, for a twelve-year term. Judge Russell is a former Chief Judge on
the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, where she served since 1995. She
was educated at Truman State University, receiving her B.S. and B.A. Summa Cum
Laude in 1980, and graduated from law school at the University of Missouri-
Columbia with her J.D. in 1983. After graduation, she was a law clerk for the
Honorable George Gunn, Jr. at the Supreme Court of Missouri. She was engaged in
the private practice of law in the firm of Clayton & Rhodes in Hannibal until her
appointment by Governor Carnahan to the Court of Appeals.
Judge Russell has received numerous awards including: the University of Missouri
School of Law Citation of Merit Award; a Henry Toll Fellowship; the Young Lawyers
Chairperson Award in 1992 and 1993; the Missourians for Equal Justice Award; the
Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club 2001 Appreciation of the Year Award;
Faculty/Alumni Award at the University of Missouri in 2002. In 2002, she was
inducted into the Missouri Academy of Squires. The City of Kirkwood honored as her
as the Citizen of the Year in January 2003. She is the recipient of the President’s
Award from the Women Lawyers Association in 2003, the outstanding Alumni Award
from Truman State University in October 2003, and the “Women Helping Women”
Award from the Soroptimist Club. In 2007 she was named a "Woman of
Achievement" from the Zonta Club.
Judge Russell is currently a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the American
Bar Association, the National Association of Women Judges, the Bar Association of
Metropolitan St. Louis, the Lawyers’ Association, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar
Association, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, the 10th Circuit Bar
Association and the Cole County Bar Association. She is an active member of the
Jefferson City Rotary Club, PEO, the St. Louis Forum, Zonta, Grace Episcopal
Church, and the CASA Board, where she currently serves as President.
In addition to her many civic activities, Judge Russell volunteers as a Truancy Court
Judge at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Jefferson City. She was also active in
Hannibal and St. Louis prior to her recent move to Jefferson City. She devotes much
time to mentoring young women.
Judge Russell has served on a variety of statewide boards and commissions
including: Missouri Supreme Court Appellate Practice Committee; Board of
Governors of Truman State University (President in 1996); Commission on
Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges; Missouri Lawyer’s Trust Account
Foundation; Commission to Select a Federal Judge for the Eastern District of
Missouri in 1993; Missouri State Senate Reapportionment Commission in 1991;
House of Delegates to the American Bar Association; Young Lawyers Council; many
Missouri Bar committees, Missouri Council on Women’s Economic Development
and Missouri Job Training Council; Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee and on the
Missouri Press Bar Commission. She is a past co-chair of the Appellate Practice
Committee of BAMSL and has served as chair on other committees in BAMSL.
She is married to Jim Russell, who is a governmental consultant in Jefferson City.
Court of Missouri in 2004, and retained by a majority vote of the citizens of Missouri in
November 2006, for a twelve-year term. Judge Russell is a former Chief Judge on
the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, where she served since 1995. She
was educated at Truman State University, receiving her B.S. and B.A. Summa Cum
Laude in 1980, and graduated from law school at the University of Missouri-
Columbia with her J.D. in 1983. After graduation, she was a law clerk for the
Honorable George Gunn, Jr. at the Supreme Court of Missouri. She was engaged in
the private practice of law in the firm of Clayton & Rhodes in Hannibal until her
appointment by Governor Carnahan to the Court of Appeals.
Judge Russell has received numerous awards including: the University of Missouri
School of Law Citation of Merit Award; a Henry Toll Fellowship; the Young Lawyers
Chairperson Award in 1992 and 1993; the Missourians for Equal Justice Award; the
Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club 2001 Appreciation of the Year Award;
Faculty/Alumni Award at the University of Missouri in 2002. In 2002, she was
inducted into the Missouri Academy of Squires. The City of Kirkwood honored as her
as the Citizen of the Year in January 2003. She is the recipient of the President’s
Award from the Women Lawyers Association in 2003, the outstanding Alumni Award
from Truman State University in October 2003, and the “Women Helping Women”
Award from the Soroptimist Club. In 2007 she was named a "Woman of
Achievement" from the Zonta Club.
Judge Russell is currently a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the American
Bar Association, the National Association of Women Judges, the Bar Association of
Metropolitan St. Louis, the Lawyers’ Association, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar
Association, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association, the 10th Circuit Bar
Association and the Cole County Bar Association. She is an active member of the
Jefferson City Rotary Club, PEO, the St. Louis Forum, Zonta, Grace Episcopal
Church, and the CASA Board, where she currently serves as President.
In addition to her many civic activities, Judge Russell volunteers as a Truancy Court
Judge at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Jefferson City. She was also active in
Hannibal and St. Louis prior to her recent move to Jefferson City. She devotes much
time to mentoring young women.
Judge Russell has served on a variety of statewide boards and commissions
including: Missouri Supreme Court Appellate Practice Committee; Board of
Governors of Truman State University (President in 1996); Commission on
Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges; Missouri Lawyer’s Trust Account
Foundation; Commission to Select a Federal Judge for the Eastern District of
Missouri in 1993; Missouri State Senate Reapportionment Commission in 1991;
House of Delegates to the American Bar Association; Young Lawyers Council; many
Missouri Bar committees, Missouri Council on Women’s Economic Development
and Missouri Job Training Council; Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee and on the
Missouri Press Bar Commission. She is a past co-chair of the Appellate Practice
Committee of BAMSL and has served as chair on other committees in BAMSL.
She is married to Jim Russell, who is a governmental consultant in Jefferson City.
Biography of Supreme Court Justice Mary R. Russell
Zonta St. Charles
Yellow Rose Luncheon
We will honor Women of
Achievement from St. Charles
County. Missouri Supreme
Court Justice Mary R. Russell
will be the Keynote Speaker.
Join us on Friday, April 11, 2008
from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm at the
Lake Saint Louis Association at
100 Cognac Drive. For more
information, please contact
Brenda Fraser at 314-704-4412
Yellow Rose Luncheon
We will honor Women of
Achievement from St. Charles
County. Missouri Supreme
Court Justice Mary R. Russell
will be the Keynote Speaker.
Join us on Friday, April 11, 2008
from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm at the
Lake Saint Louis Association at
100 Cognac Drive. For more
information, please contact
Brenda Fraser at 314-704-4412