David Mercer of Springfield will join the City of Springfield as a Municipal Court judge effective Dec. 1.

City Council appointed Mercer to the position with a resolution at its Nov. 14 meeting. Mercer’s four-year term will expire Nov. 14, 2026.

“David is a person of very high integrity and brings a significant amount of legal experience to our municipal court. We are excited to have him be a part of the City of Springfield and commence his duties,” said City Manager Jason Gage.

Prior to joining the City, Mercer since 1999 served as a first assistant federal public defender for the Western District of Missouri, where he supervised seven attorneys, four investigators and support staff. Prior to 1999, Mercer was in private practice and served in the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office in Springfield.   

Mercer received his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law, where he was a member of the Missouri Law Review, Board of Advocates and Order of the Barristers. He holds master of education and bachelor of arts degrees from Drury University.

Mercer is an adjunct faculty member for Drury University’s Legal Assistant Studies program and has served as a hunger advocate in Bolivia and Africa for Food for the Hungry.

“The opportunity to serve as a Springfield Municipal Court Judge is both a huge blessing and tremendously humbling,” Mercer said. “Judges personify our constitutional system and the Rule of Law. They ensure fairness and participate in the process of achieving justice. I can’t imagine a higher calling or a more exciting opportunity to serve Springfield.”

Mercer’s salary will be $126,360 per year.

Download David Mercer's portrait