A retired judge from Pettis County has been tapped to hear the Saline County Assessor’s lawsuit against the Saline County Commission.

Online court records indicate that the Missouri Supreme Court has assigned Robert L Koffman to the lawsuit brought by assessor Jessica Adcock Goodman, challenging the commission on funding levels for her office. The lawsuit also challenges whether Saline County should remain a fourth-class county or be subject to reclassification, which would likely shift Saline to third class. Koffman retired in 2023 as circuit judge in Pettis County, which is also a fourth-class county. He has attained senior judge status, which allows him to continue hearing cases as called upon by the Supreme Court.

Koffman will step in for associate circuit judge Kelly Ann Rose, who recused herself last month after the Lafayette County Commission moved to intervene on behalf of the Saline County Commission.