Brad Eidson will be a candidate for
associate circuit judge for Texas County in 2010.
Eidson will seek the Republican nomination
in the August primary election, and the position will be filled at
the November election. The elected position came open when Bradford
Ellsworth, who won the office in 2002 and again in 2006, resigned
due to mandatory retirement requirements. The position was filled
for the remainder of the term by appointment of former Gov. Matt
Blunt until the next general election.
Eidson has deep roots in southern Missouri.
He was born and raised in Mountain View, and he has been a resident
of Houston since 1980. He has been married to Rebecca Sharp Eidson
for 30 years. The Houston School District and Exceptional Child
Education Cooperative employed her until retirement in 2008.
The Eidsons raised two children in Houston.
Sara Eidson is a graduate of Drury University and Missouri State
University’s School of Physical Therapy. She is employed as a
physical therapist at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Grant
Eidson is a graduate of Missouri State University with a degree in
accounting. He is employed by Reliable Toyota in Springfield.
Eidson graduated from Mountain View-Birch
Tree, Liberty High School, at the mid-term of his senior year in
1974. He attended Missouri State University and graduated cum laude
in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in public administration. He
received his juris doctor degree from the University of
Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1980, passed the Missouri Bar
and began practicing law in Houston in 1980.
Eidson served two years as Texas County
assistant prosecuting attorney and four years as the elected
prosecuting attorney in the county. He has been the attorney for
the juvenile office on two separate occasions, the city attorney
for Houston since 2003 and the attorney on several government
projects in Texas County. Eidson has been a practicing attorney for
30 years with extensive experience in family, criminal and probate
law. He has tried hundreds of cases throughout southern Missouri,
including federal court.
Eidson was elected by his peers as
president of the Texas County Bar and has served as president for
more than 20 years. He has received the pro bono publico award from
Legal Aid of Southwest Missouri for providing free legal services
to the indigent. Eidson has served on committees with the Missouri
Bar throughout his professional career and given public
presentations on behalf of the Missouri Bar.
Eidson has been active in civic, business,
community and church activities. He served as president of the
Houston Lions Club and continues to be an active member of that
organization. He serves on the Houston Industrial Development
Authority board, which works to bring industry and jobs to the
community. He also is a member of the Texas County Habilitation
board, which is the primary funding agency for Opportunity
Sheltered Industries, which is the county’s sheltered workshop.
He is a member of the Houston Area Chamber
of Commerce and Downtown Houston Inc. The Eidsons have been active
members of the Houston United Methodist Church since moving to
Texas County in 1980.
“I have been extremely fortunate to have
obtained trial experience during the past 30 years by practicing
before elected judges who had considerable trial experience before
being elected to the position I now seek. R. Mike Becker, John S.
Beeler and Bradford E. Ellsworth not only brought their trial
experiences to the judicial position, but also provided leadership
and guidance to attorneys practicing before them. The combination
of trial experience and leadership is the best possible way to
provide justice to the citizens of Texas County. The people of
Texas County deserve the most experienced, qualified, trusted and
committed person available for the position.”