DUANE BENTON
JUDGE, MISSOURI SUPREME COURT

Duane Benton was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court on August 16, 1991, and retained in office by the People at the November 1992 election. On July 1, 1997, the other Judges of the Court elected him Chief Justice for a two-year term that ended June 30, 1999. He is the only Certified Public Accountant serving on any supreme court in America.

Born in Springfield, Missouri, Judge Benton grew up in Mtn. View, Willow Springs, and Cape Girardeau. He is a 1972 graduate of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Benton received a law degree from Yale Law School in 1975, distinguishing himself as editor and managing editor of the Yale Law Journal. Selected as a Danforth fellow, he completed the Senior Executives Program at Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has also accomplished the post-graduate Appellate Judges Course at the Institute of Judicial Administration, New York University. Judge Benton earned an LL.M. from the University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia. He has also received a Doctor of Laws (honorary degree) from both Central Missouri State University and Westminster College.

From 1975 to 1979 Judge Benton served with the U.S. Navy as a judge advocate. While in the Navy, he attended Memphis State University and earned a master's in business administration and accountancy, with a perfect 4.0 grade average. He was selected to Beta Alpha Psi and Beta Gamma Sigma. Benton became a certified public accountant in Missouri in 1983.

Before becoming a Judge of the Missouri Supreme Court, Benton practiced law as a private attorney in Jefferson City for six years, in the general practice of law. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Tax Court, United States Court of Military Appeals, and all Missouri Courts.

From 1989 to 1991, Judge Benton served as the 14th Director of Revenue in the history of the state of Missouri. While Director of Revenue, he authored the Missouri Taxpayer Bill of Rights, initiated the short-form state tax return, administered income tax refunds to retirees, and led Missouri to ninth place among all states in sales-tax audits of out-of-state firms. He also served on the Multistate Tax Commission, with tax administrators from 32 other states, who elected him Chair, and as President of the Midwestern States Association of Tax Administrators.

Judge Benton, a Vietnam veteran, still participates in the U.S. Naval Reserve, holding the rank of Captain and having graduated from the Naval War College. He belongs to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Navy League, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Order of the World Wars, and served on the Missouri Military Advisory Commission.

From 1987 through 1989, Judge Benton was a Regent on the Board for Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, the Board of Regents for St. Mary's Health Center, the Missouri Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation, the Board of Directors of Jefferson City United Way, and chair of the Council for Drug Free Youth.

Judge Benton is also an adjunct professor at both Westminster College and the University of Missouri - Columbia School of Law.

A deacon and Trustee of the First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, he is former counsel to the Missouri Baptist Convention.

Judge Benton is a member of the American, Missouri and Cole County Bar Associations; the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Duane and his spouse Sandra -- a registered nurse -- are the parents of two children, daughter Megan and son Grant.