State Supreme Court Judge to Step Down

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CN) - Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael A. Wolff will retire from the bench to become a full-time professor at the Saint Louis University School of Law, beginning with the 2011 fall semester.

"The law school has a remarkable teaching faculty and has created a highly productive community of scholars," Wolff said in a statement. "The scholarly work of the current faculty is extraordinary, and the school is attracting some of the finest young scholars in legal education today. While I am not exactly young, I am honored to be rejoining their ranks. It is a vibrant and exciting place."

Wolff was appointed to the state Supreme Court in August 1998 and was retained by voters in November 2000. He served as chief justice from July 2005 through June 2007.

Wolff thanked his fellow judges, court staff, the late Gov. Mel Carnahan and Missouri voters in his statement. He said this is the next logical step for him.

"By next August, I will have served 13 years on the court, and the Missouri Constitution says I must retire in the not-too-distant future," Wolff said. "Because I am not the retiring type, I am looking forward to the next phase of my life."

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