Columbian appointed to Missouri appeals court

JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed longtime aide Karen King Mitchell to the state appeals court.

Mitchell has served since January as Nixon's director of the Department of Revenue. She previously was Nixon's chief deputy when Nixon was attorney general.

The governor on Thursday appointed Mitchell to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Paul Spinden.

The 50-year-old Mitchell of Columbia was one of three nominees submitted to Nixon by a commission that screens applicants for appellate judicial vacancies. The other finalists were Circuit Judge Jacqueline Cook of Belton and Associate Circuit Judge Gary Witt of Parkville.

Nixon named Alana Barragan-Scott, who also worked with him in the attorney general's office, as acting director of the Revenue Department.