ST. LOUIS, Missouri — A judge has pumped the brakes on St. Louis City Hall’s escalating fight over who has the power to appoint the city’s next sheriff, while the Missouri attorney general has moved separately to block any rushed action outright.
In a ruling issued Wednesday afternoon, a circuit judge declined to decide who holds appointment authority, saying the dispute is premature and not legally “ripe” for review. The court noted that the removal of former Sheriff Alfred Montgomery is not yet final under Missouri law, meaning no settled vacancy exists.
As a result, the court refused to issue a declaratory judgment on whether appointment power rests with the mayor, the Board of Aldermen, the governor, or some combination of city officials…