At a recent annual ceremony honoring service to the State of Missouri, 154th District Rep. David Evans was saluted with an unorthodox award presentation recognizing him for his contributions to protecting and improving the effective administration of justice in Missouri.
The ceremony was held in mid-September as part of the annual meeting of the Missouri Judicial Conference, the organization of all the state’s judges, in Kansas City. The award recognizes legislators who, by virtue of their integrity, leadership and diligence in the pursuit of fairness and justice inspire others to similar purposes. In all, six members of the Missouri General Assembly were recognized.
In presenting the administration of justice legislative award, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Russell highlighted Evans’ exemplary service to the citizens of the state and the justice system.
Evans shares his time and leadership working diligently on various committees between the House, Senate, courts and citizens, she noted, and his committees in part include the Missouri Sentencing Commission; the Joint Committee on the Missouri Criminal Justice System, on which he serves as vice chair, the Joint Committee on Court Technology; and the House Judiciary Committee, which he chairs.
“Representative Evans is recognized as a natural leader, and his colleagues value his opinion and thoughts about various legal issues,” Russell said. While other legislators recognized received traditional plaques, Rep. Evans was given his recognition in the form of something more unusual.
With a smile on her face as she presented the award, Russell said the shape of the award is especially fitting: It is cast in the form of a howling wolf. She noted that each time Evans, or “the Gentleman from Howell County” as he is called on the House Floor, is recognized to speak, his representative colleagues “howl” in special recognition.
Evans said that the wolf is one of the “coolest” things he has been given, and it will be kept on his desk at the Capitol “as a constant reminder of the good people from Howell that he represents.”
Prior to taking office in the State House of Representatives, Evans retired from a 27-year career as a trial judge in the 37th Judicial Circuit, over which he presided for 12 years.
The five additional legislators presented with the award were Sen. Sandy Crawford of Buffalo, Sen. Lincoln Hough and Curtis Trent of Springfield, Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville and Rep. Rudy Veit of Wardsville.
