Columbia attorney Finley D. Gibbs will run for 13th Circuit Judge Division I for Boone and Callaway counties this November.
"For over 20 years, I have wanted to serve as a judge," he said. "It's my personal belief that a judge's duty is to first enforce the law then be a facilitator and communicator in the courtroom so that our constitution and laws can be seen to be fair to all people. Law can often be unclear to the general public and I think it's crucial to be able to communicate and empathize with people from all walks of life."
Gibbs, 53, is a graduate of Hickman High School and the University of Missouri in Columbia. He graduated from law school at the University of Missouri in December 1996. He and his wife of 30 years, Becky, have two adult sons.
Gibbs has been practicing law continuously in Missouri since May 1997 when he joined the private practice of Bill Rotts at Rotts & Associates. In 1999, he became a partner in the new law firm of Rotts & Gibbs LLC, where he remained until Dec. 31.
In January, he started a new practice, Gibbs Legal Consulting LLC. He currently represents people who are fighting fraud committed against the government, people who are running small businesses and people who need assistance with ordinary legal matters. He considers it one of his key tasks to help local people negotiate legal issues they may encounter.
"A circuit court judge must be able to adjudicate matters in many areas of the law and should have a high level of experience not only across a broad spectrum of legal issues but also with multiple levels of courts," Gibbs said.
Gibbs has represented clients in many areas of the law, including civil law, criminal law, business law, workers' compensation and administrative law. His clients have included small businesses and individuals, with case sizes ranging from a few hundred dollars to the return of more than $125 million to the United States taxpayers, as well as the return of millions to the State of Missouri.
"Before I became a lawyer, I worked as a truck driver, a welder, sales rep, and in a number of other jobs, all of which gave me a keen understanding of how every member of our community deserves not only to be fairly represented in a court of law but also to understand the legal system," he added.
Gibbs brings significant experience handling courtroom matters in Missouri State Court in multiple counties, many municipal courts, federal courts, appeals court matters, and has experience in jury trials, trials in front of judges, motion hearings and appeals.
The 13th Circuit position is currently occupied by appointee Brouck Jacobs, who began work at the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney's office as an assistant prosecutor in 2013 and was appointed in October 2017.
The election will be Nov. 6. Should another Democrat file for candidacy, the primary will take place Aug. 7.