Attorney files for Circuit Judge of Division I of the 43rd Judicial Circuit

James P. (Jim) Valbracht, attorney, has filed for the position of Circuit Judge of Division I of the 43rd Judicial Circuit on the Republican ticket. Valbracht, age 46, is the son of Joel and Mary Ellen Valbracht and has resided in Chillicothe for the last 41 years.

Valbracht is a 1972 graduate of Chillicothe High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Missouri State University and his Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia Law School. Valbracht has been in the private practice of law in Chillicothe for over 22 years.

Valbracht has maintained a general practice of law involving criminal cases ranging from infractions to serious felonies, dissolution of marriage, adoptions, fraud, personal injury plaintiff, personal injury defense, contracts, estate planning and many other types of cases common to the 43rd Judicial Circuit.

He is a member of the Livingston County Bar Association, the Missouri Bar and is licensed to practice in the United State District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

Valbracht has been active in his community. He has gratuitously provided legal assistance in incorporating the Y.M.C.A., the Abandoned Cemetery Association, the Senior Citizens of Livingston County, Missouri, Inc., and the C.H.S. Football Fund, Inc. He has also provided legal services for the Summer Playground Association, Camp Ki-Li-Ro-Co, and the Pendleton Trust Fund. He has spoken on legal issues to several schools, organizations and groups.

Valbracht has been active in his community in civic matters. He and his family are members of the United Methodist Church. He served as city councilman in Chillicothe from November, 1996, to April 1999. He has been a judge for the Farmers Electric Essay Contest for over 20 years. He was a past board member and past president of the Chillicothe Country Club.

He is presently serving his sixth year on the Board of Directors of the Grand River Y.M.C.A. He was baseball coach with the Summer Playground Association for over 15 years and coached several sports through the Y.M.C.A. He sponsored and coached boys and girls basketball teams for several years.

Valbracht has been a member of the Chillicothe Jaycees. He is a member of Chillicothe Country Club, Masons Friendship Lodge #89 and is an active member of Chillicothe Elks Lodge #656.

Valbracht is married to the former Nancy Curnow, daughter of Norman and Regena Curnow of Breckenridge. They are the parents of two children, Blake and Darcy, both of whom are sophomores at Chillicothe High School.