Less than three years ago, Kelly Broniec was appointed as a judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals in the Eastern District.

Now, the Montgomery City native will be the chief judge of the court. On June 29, she was unanimously selected as the chief judge by the Court of Appeals. Her one-year term was effective on July 1.

The Missouri Court of Appeals in the Eastern District is the state’s largest court with its offices located in downtown St. Louis. In October 2020, Broniec was appointed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson as one of 14 judges who handled approximately 50 percent of the intermediate appellate caseload in Missouri, covering 25 counties and the city of St. Louis.

By being the chief judge, Broniec will be the chief administrative officer of the court, preside at court en banc meetings and represent the court to the public.

“It is a great honor to serve as chief judge of the Eastern District,” Broniec said in a statement. “I look forward to leading this Court as we continue our 148-year tradition in the rule of law and in upholding our constitutional responsibilities. We will continue our public outreach with numerous special dockets throughout the Eastern District. I look forward to carrying out my responsibilities under the nonpartisan court plan as chair of the two circuit court judicial commissions in our district. Finally, I am also proud to once again follow in the footsteps of Judge Roy Richter, the last judge from Montgomery County to serve as chief judge of the Eastern District.”

Broniec was sworn in by Richter as judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals. Richter retired from the Court of Appeals in July 2020.

Broniec worked as Montgomery County’s associate circuit judge in 2006 for 14 years before heading to the Missouri Court of the Appeals. She also worked as the county’s prosecuting attorney for seven years.

Last year, Broniec sat with the Missouri Supreme Court. After one of the judges, W. Brent Powell had a conflict, the Missouri Supreme Court named Broniec as a replacement to hear an arbitration case.

A Warrenton native, Broniec graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from William Woods University and a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She moved to Montgomery City in 1999.
Broniec is active with the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Missouri Association of Probate and Associate Circuit Judges (past president) and the Council of Chief Judges of State Courts of Appeal. She is a member of the Montgomery City Kiwanis Club and the Montgomery City Chamber of Commerce and sits on the church council at Grace Lutheran Church.