What is the Missouri Plan in regard to judicial selection?

The Missouri Plan, also known as the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, is a method of selecting judges that aims to reduce political influence in the judicial selection process. Under this plan, the selection of judges involves the creation of a nonpartisan commission that evaluates potential judicial candidates. This commission then sends a list of three qualified nominees to the governor, who makes the final appointment of one of those nominees.

This approach is designed to ensure that judges are selected based on merit rather than political affiliations, which promotes an independent judiciary. After being appointed, judges typically stand for retention elections, allowing the public to decide whether they should remain in office after a set term. This system balances the need for judicial independence with democratic accountability.

The other options do not align with the Missouri Plan. Direct appointment by the governor would imply a more political process without the input of a nomination commission. Public voting on all judges and legislative confirmation do not reflect the unique elements of the Missouri Plan, which seeks to limit direct political pressures in judicial appointments.