Casey Clevenger, the sole candidate for Fulton prosecuting attorney on April 5, may be new to the position, but she brings plenty of experience to the table, as well as a genuine interest in the community.
Clevenger has served as a Callaway County assistant prosecuting attorney for the past four years, is the prosecuting attorney for Auxvasse and serves as municipal judge in New Bloomfield. She also has been acting as interim prosecuting attorney for Fulton since January.
"I actually went to law school to become a prosecutor," said Clevenger, who graduated from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. "I've always had a passion for that kind of work; I find it interesting."
She said the thing she has found most enjoyable about her position in the Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has been the people she works with, whom she said "have been such a blessing to me."
"Bob Sterner and Chris Wilson were about the best mentors a lawyer could ask for," Clevenger said. "They're hard working, they're ethical, and I appreciate what they taught me so much."
In January, Clevenger was promoted to first assistant prosecuting attorney for Callaway County, working primarily sexual assault, domestic violence, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular assault and DWI cases, as well as all drug cases for the county.
As the city's prosecuting attorney, her case load consists of less-serious crimes.
"Fulton actually has a city attorney that handles all of its civil matters. I'll only deal with ordinance violations of a criminal nature," Clevenger said. "The bulk of that is traffic tickets, speeding, parking tickets and animal complaints. Most of those offenses are punishable only by a fine."
She said Fulton's municipal court has a set docket on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, which require several hours for courtroom preparations and paperwork as well as a couple of hours of actual court time for each docket.
In addition to her legal work, Clevenger also has spent the past four years becoming entrenched in the Fulton and Callaway County communities. She is a member of the board of directors for the Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence, serves on the Our House Board of Directors and also is an active member of the Fulton Rotary. Her husband, Shawn Pettigrew, also works for the city.
As she prepares to further settle into her new role as the Fulton Prosecuting Attorney, Clevenger said she is looking forward to getting further involved. She said she chose to come to Callaway because after growing up in a small town in Indiana, she wanted to be able to achieve that same sense of connection with the community where she made her career.
"I'm more confident in a smaller town. I like to be able to go places and know people," Clevenger said. "I appreciate the opportunity that's has been given to me to work and live in this community.
"I'm settled in. This is my home now and I look forward to continuing to serve."