Melissa Buckman Young

Professional career

• Governor Mike Parson appointed Melissa Buckman Young in February 2024 as Associate Circuit Judge for Audrain County in Missouri’s 12th Judicial Circuit

Education

Additional information

• Selected to complete Judge Hamlett’s term and began her judicial duties in April 2024.
• Before joining the bench, Young practiced law in family law, adoptions, guardianships, estate planning, real estate, municipal law, probate, and more.
• Also a certified mediator The Mexico Ledger
• As the county’s sole Associate Judge, she handles civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases, oversees compliance dockets for domestic violence and child support probation, and has reinstated monthly courthouse weddings
• Her work includes cross‐disciplinary training for caseworkers, attorneys, judges, and law enforcement
• Young has been active in community engagement, including speaking at schools, 4‐H clubs, and local events, and chairing the 12th Circuit Fostering Court Improvement Team.
• She has also been appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to the Missouri Bar’s Joint Commission on Women in the Profession
• She plans to continue balancing her judicial duties with community outreach and leadership in child welfare initiatives