Coalition Presses City to Select African-American Woman Judge

A group of Kansas City civil rights organizations urged Tuesday that African-American women be nominated to replace Municipal Judge Deborah Neal, who resigned Nov. 3.

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The civil rights organizations said there was not enough diversity on the 16th Judicial Circuit, which includes the Municipal Court. They noted that, of 45 positions for judges and commissioners, there is not a single black woman since Neal resigned.

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Neal resigned after her lawyer said she had a gambling problem and had taken loans from lawyers. The matter has been under investigation by a judicial ethics commission and a federal grand jury.