A Tarkio Republican has been nominated for the Missouri Supreme Court.

The court’s Appellate Judicial Commission after 5:30 p.m. Thursday released the names of the three finalists they’ve submitted to Gov. Matt Blunt to fill the July vacancy left by Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr.

The commission has selected Atchison County Associate Circuit Court Judge Zel M. Fischer, according to a news release.

They also picked two Western District Missouri Court of Appeals judges, Lisa White Hardwick and Ronald R. Holliger, both of Kansas City.

According to the release’s bio of Mr. Fischer, 45, the area judge was born in Hamburg, Iowa, but now serves for the 4th Judicial Circuit in Atchison County.

Gov. Mel Carnahan in 1994 overlooked Mr. Fischer, then an attorney, for an appointment to the same associate circuit judge post, according to News-Press archives. The Democratic governor instead opted for Kay Graves Rosenbohm, a Fairfax attorney.

Mr. Fischer received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science in 1985 from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. He earned his law degree in 1988 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

“Under the Missouri Constitution, the governor has 60 days to select one member of the panel to fill the vacancy. If the governor should fail to do so, the Missouri Constitution directs the commission to make the appointment,” the release stated.