JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri Governor Matt Blunt might not have spent much time reading state Courts of Appeals opinions, but chances are that's about to change.

The state's Appellate Judicial Commission (AJC) yesterday announced it had handed Blunt three sitting Court of Appeals judges as finalists to fill a Missouri Supreme Court vacancy. Two of the three currently serve on the Court of Appeals' Western District.

The AJC's chair, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith, gave Blunt the names of the three finalists for the Supreme Court seat of retired Justice Ronnie White, considered a liberal. The Governor now has 60 days to choose one of them.

The two Western Districts Court of Appeals nominees are Patricia A. Breckenridge of Nevada, MO and Ronald R. Hollinger of Blue Springs, MO. Nannette A. Baker of St. Louis was nominated from the Eastern District Court of Appeals.

At first glance, Breckenridge would appear to have the edge on both experience and party-appointment history.

Breckenridge was first elevated to the state circuit court judiciary in 1982 by Republican Gov. Kit Bond. Hollinger and Baker were both promoted by Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan - Hollinger in 1995 and Baker in 1999.

Breckenridge was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1990 under GOP Gov. John Ashcroft and subsequently elected to consecutive 12-year terms. Hollinger was appointed in 2000 by Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan and elected in 2002, while Baker was appointed in 2004 by Democrat Bob Holden.

Four of the six sitting Missouri Supreme Court Justices are Democrat appointees and Blunt is the first Republican Governor in 15 years to choose a new one. He had repeatedly urged the AJC not to send him nominees with a record of "judicial activism" in recent weeks.

None of the three resonated with Republican state Sen. Matt Bartle, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I really don't have a comment. I'd have to dig in and look at it before I said anything more," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The AJC took legal heat this week for meeting in secret at undisclosed locations while interviewing and deciding on the three finalists. One commentator said the Commission should offer the same level of openness required of other public bodies.