Richard B. Teitelman
Encyclopedia
Richard B. Teitelman is currently a Judge on the Supreme Court of Missouri
.
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and is the youngest of three children. At age 13, he was diagnosed as being legally blind. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania
in 1969. Moving to Missouri
, he earned his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis
in 1973. Following a brief stint in private practice, he worked at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (legal aid
) for 23 years, including 18 years as executive director and general counsel. He was also President of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
. In 1998, he was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals
by Governor Mel Carnahan
, serving in that capacity until his appointment to the state Supreme Court by Governor Bob Holden
in 2002. He is both the first Jewish and the first legally blind judge on Missouri
's highest court.
Teitelman's ascension to the court marked a shift in the court's balance from majority Republican-appointees since the mid-1980s. The court split along these lines in 2003, when the 4-3 liberal majority held that execution
of juveniles is cruel and unusual punishment under the Missouri Constitution
, a decision ultimately affirmed by the United States Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons
. In 2003, Teitelman wrote the majority opinion for a divided Supreme Court overturning a murder conviction where the only evidence was the testimony of three eyewitnesses—fellow prisoners at the time—that had all recanted. Although Teitelman agreed that the convicted man had exhausted all of his appeals, he reasoned that clear and convincing evidence of innocence acts as a "gateway" for further review.
Teitelman faced a significant retention challenge in 2004. Missouri attorneys supported his retention by an 80% margin (albeit one of the lowest support rates that year). The ad-hoc "Missourians Against Liberal Judges" started what the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
editorial page called a "smear campaign" against him. Teitelman won retention. His current term expires at the end of 2016.
Supreme Court of Missouri
The Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820, and is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction- the sole legal power to hear -...
.
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and is the youngest of three children. At age 13, he was diagnosed as being legally blind. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1969. Moving to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, he earned his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
in 1973. Following a brief stint in private practice, he worked at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (legal aid
Legal aid in the United States
Legal aid in the United States appeared as early as the 1870s, but for the most part, the U.S. legal aid system remained piecemeal and underfunded until well into the 20th century....
) for 23 years, including 18 years as executive director and general counsel. He was also President of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis was founded in 1874 by some 100 members of the St. Louis bench and bar. BAMSL currently has over 6,000 members and a vast network of committees and sections.-History:...
. In 1998, he was appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals
Missouri Court of Appeals
The Missouri Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state of Missouri. The court handles most of the appeals from the Missouri Circuit Courts. The court is divided into three districts: Eastern The Missouri Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state...
by Governor Mel Carnahan
Mel Carnahan
Melvin Eugene "Mel" Carnahan was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as the 51st Governor of Missouri from 1993 to 2000. He died in a plane crash on the Pevely and Hillsboro, Missouri border during a campaign for the U.S...
, serving in that capacity until his appointment to the state Supreme Court by Governor Bob Holden
Bob Holden
Robert Lee "Bob" Holden, Jr. is an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as the 53rd Governor of Missouri.-Early life:...
in 2002. He is both the first Jewish and the first legally blind judge on Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
's highest court.
Teitelman's ascension to the court marked a shift in the court's balance from majority Republican-appointees since the mid-1980s. The court split along these lines in 2003, when the 4-3 liberal majority held that execution
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
of juveniles is cruel and unusual punishment under the Missouri Constitution
Missouri Constitution
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution. The fourth and current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945...
, a decision ultimately affirmed by the United States Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons
Roper v. Simmons
Roper v. Simmons, was a decision in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that it is unconstitutional to impose capital punishment for crimes committed while under the age of 18. The 5-4 decision overruled the Court's prior ruling upholding such sentences on offenders above or at the...
. In 2003, Teitelman wrote the majority opinion for a divided Supreme Court overturning a murder conviction where the only evidence was the testimony of three eyewitnesses—fellow prisoners at the time—that had all recanted. Although Teitelman agreed that the convicted man had exhausted all of his appeals, he reasoned that clear and convincing evidence of innocence acts as a "gateway" for further review.
Teitelman faced a significant retention challenge in 2004. Missouri attorneys supported his retention by an 80% margin (albeit one of the lowest support rates that year). The ad-hoc "Missourians Against Liberal Judges" started what the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
editorial page called a "smear campaign" against him. Teitelman won retention. His current term expires at the end of 2016.
External links
- Richard B. Teitelman on the Missouri Supreme Court website