Jefferson City native Matt Willis filed Tuesday to run for Cole County associate circuit judge.
After serving as a public defender for Cole, Miller and Moniteau counties, Willis said he's ready for the judicial role.
"As you can imagine, the public defender's office has an incredible variety of cases and chances to use and gain experience in a court of law," Willis said. He noted he has handled more than 1,000 cases in his career as a public defender.
"I have spent my time as a public defender ensuring all parties involved receive fair treatment in the justice system, and I will do the same as an associate circuit judge," Willis said.
Willis earned his bachelor's degree from Lincoln University and his master's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He received his law degree, with a focus on health care law, from St. Louis University School of Law in 2014.
Willis said there are three tenets of his campaign: fairness, integrity and passion.
The position Willis is seeking was created for a second associate circuit judge.
Todd Smith and Brian Stumpe, both Republicans, also filed as candidates for the associate circuit judge position Tuesday.
There are also two circuit judge positions up for election this year.
Other Cole County offices up for election in 2020 include Eastern and Western District commissioners, sheriff, assessor, public administrator and treasurer.
Filing for countywide offices in 2020 officially ends March 31. The primary election will be Aug. 4, and the general election will be Nov. 3.