Mr. Ellis hopes to carry on retiring Judge Tracy Gonzalez's emphasis on the well-being of children and families

[COLUMBIA, Missouri, October 7, 2025] – Attorney Bill Ellis announced his candidacy today for Division 9 Boone County Associate Circuit Judge. The position will become open upon the retirement of Judge Tracy Gonzalez, who announced yesterday that she will be retiring at the conclusion of her term on December 31, 2026. 

“I have had the unique privilege of appearing in juvenile court in front of Judge Gonzalez several times every week since her election in 2018,” Ellis said. “Her care and concern for the children and families in her courtroom has been an inspiration for me and, more importantly, for them. She has made a positive difference in Boone County, and I plan to continue her efforts to show everyone who appears in court in Division 9, especially those in juvenile court, that a better path forward is possible.”

With nearly 25 years of legal experience and a longstanding commitment to the well-being of children and families in central Missouri, Mr. Ellis seeks to carry on Judge Gonzalez’s legacy of fairness, empathy, and community-focused justice.

Mr. Ellis is a Columbia native and a graduate of Hickman High School and the University of Missouri. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in 2001. He is a member of the Boone County Bar Association. In 2017, he was one of two attorneys appointed by the Missouri Bar to the Missouri State Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, which he continues to serve on today. 

Mr. Ellis worked as a deputy juvenile officer for Boone and Callaway Counties before attending law school. Since 2012, he has been engaged with the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, which serves Boone and Callaway Counties, as a court-appointed attorney responsible for advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected youth in juvenile court. Mr. Ellis regularly defends children alleged to have committed crimes and represents the parents and caregivers of children in juvenile court.

“I am running for Associate Circuit Judge because I believe everyone – including children and families – deserves a fair opportunity, compassion, and a justice system that works for them and can provide that better path forward,” Ellis said.  

In addition to his juvenile court experience, Mr. Ellis also has extensive professional experience in the corporate, public, and private legal sectors. He previously served as associate counsel and administrative hearing officer for the Missouri Department of Revenue, where he represented the Director of Revenue in matters pertaining to driving privileges and presided over more than one thousand administrative hearings contesting driver license suspensions and revocations for alcohol-related offenses.

He went on to work in the Columbia office of a midsize law firm where he represented clients throughout central Missouri in all phases of civil litigation. And since starting his own law firm in 2011, he has focused his practice on juvenile law and criminal defense work.

Mr. Ellis is hosting a campaign kickoff event at Logboat Brewing Company, 504 Fay Street, Columbia, Missouri 65201, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2025.

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