John N. Borbonus at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Missouri · State
- Judicial service
- Active
John N. Borbonus
Biography
Professional career
- Appointed Associate Circuit Judge in 2011 by Governor Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon and later appointed Circuit Judge in 2018 by Governor Michael L. Parson
- Following law school, he held the role of an assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri from 1994 to 1997
Education
- B.A. in government and politics from George Mason University in 1988 and a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1994.
Additional information
- He has been retained in judicial elections, including a 2016 retention election where he received 56.54% of the vote.
- Judge Borbonus has presided over a variety of civil and family law cases.
- Judge Borbonus combines extensive legal experience with a strong record on the bench.
- He then became a principal at the law firm King, Krehbiel, Hellmich & Borbonus, LLC, where he focused on civil litigation, including real estate law, civil rights defense, insurance defense, and employment law
- His career spans public service as an assistant attorney general, private practice in civil litigation, and over a decade of judicial service in Missouri’s 21st Judicial Circuit, where he is recognized for professionalism and adherence to judicial standards
- In one notable incident, he sentenced a lawyer to a week in jail for directing the F-word toward him during a medical malpractice hearing, demonstrating his enforcement of courtroom decorum and authority
- Evaluations by judicial committees indicate that 100% of the committee found he substantially meets overall judicial performance standards
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Media Equipment Advance Approval
Statewide
Missouri Court Operating Rule 16 requires advance approval for media equipment used for courtroom coverage and allows the judge to control the number and setup of media personnel and equipment.
Failure to obtain advance approval for equipment may preclude its use in the proceeding.Missouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical ↗
Device Use In Courtroom
Statewide
Missouri courtroom device use for media coverage is not generally permitted unless authorized by the operating rule, a local court rule, or the judge presiding in the proceeding.
No person may use any device capable of media coverage in a courtroom or court clerk's office unless specifically authorizedMissouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical ↗
Remote appearances
Statewide
Missouri allows limited video and audio recording for media coverage under COR 16 technical limits, subject to judicial approval and courtroom controls.
Not more than one videographer, using a single device, shall be permitted in the courtroom during a judicial proceeding at any time.Missouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Missouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical
Missouri 18th Judicial Circuit Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Missouri Secretary of State Official Manual official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Missouri Secretary of State Official Manual official judicial roster ↗Missouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Missouri Court Operating Rule 16.04, Technical ↗