Chavez sworn in as St. Joseph’s new municipal judge
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Veteran local prosecutor Laura Chavez was officially appointed to serve as St. Joseph's next municipal judge.
St. Joseph City Councilmembers voted unanimously during a special council meeting Tuesday to appoint Chavez, a city prosecutor for the last 10 years, to the open position. Chavez was sworn in by both Buchanan County Presiding Judge Kate Schaefer and St. Joseph City Clerk Paula Heyde.
Chavez will finish out the remainder of the term following the death of Municipal Judge Ted Elo on March 30, a position she's honored to fill.
"He was really inspiring people to do better and hold people accountable," Chavez said of the late Judge Elo. "I hope to continue that legacy for him and help people make better choices."
A native of St. Joseph and graduate of Bishop LeBlond High School, Missouri Western State University and Creighton University, Chavez's first day on the job will be Wednesday, April 22, and will last until the April 2026 general election.
Chavez told News-Press NOW she intends to run for a full four-year term next April.
"I'm really looking forward to it and starting my campaign in the fall and hopefully continuing my career as a municipal judge for the next four years," Chavez said.
St. Joseph's municipal judge position handles a wide variety of cases, from assault and trespassing to lower offenses like traffic violations.
"I'm expecting a lot to go on and I'm anxious to see all I have to do and get in there and see people in court," she said. "I'm ready to move St Joe forward. Be more efficient in court. But also have a fair and impartial thought process when people come in front of me."
Councilmembers previously signaled their approval for Chavez following a closed session last Thursday, where interviews were conducted with her and another candidate.
According to a social media post from the City, Tuesday's special meeting was originally planned for the April 28 council agenda but was moved up due to the unavailability of the city's temporary municipal court judge.
