By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Former St. Louis County councilman Kurt Odenwald is in the running to become a judge in the Eastern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals.
A judicial selection commission has sent three nominees to Governor Matt Blunt to fill a vacancy left by Gary Gaertner, Sr.'s retirement.
Gaertner's son, Judge Gary Gaertner, Jr., and Thomas Weaver are also in the running.
Odenwald served on the council for 16 years before losing to former state representative Barbara Fraser last year.
He is an attorney with Guilfoil, Petzall & Shoemake LLP in St. Louis.
Gary Gaertner Junior is currently a judge in the 21st Judicial Circuit in St. Louis County. Thomas Weaver is a partner in the St. Louis firm Armstrong Teasdale LLP.
The governor has 60 days to choose one of the three. If he fails to do so, the commission will make the appointment.