Before joining the bench in 1992, Judge Harman practiced law for fourteen years, doing most of his work as a litigator. In addition to his private practice, he served as the city attorney for the cities of Smithville and Lathrop, Missouri, the city prosecutor for Liberty, Missouri, the Prosecuting Attorney for Clay County, Missouri, and as a Special Assistant Attorney General. As either a trial lawyer or judge, he has been the principal in hundreds of jury trials and literally thousands of bench trials and hearings.

 

During his tenure as a circuit judge, Judge Harman was an active member of Missouri’s judicial community. He was a member, author, lecturer, and presenter for the Missouri Trial Judge Education Committee for over fifteen years; served as the chair of the Missouri New Judge Orientation Committee, which is charged with mandatory education for all new Missouri trial judges; served on the Missouri Legislative Steering Committee; was a Missouri Judicial Delegate to the American Bar Association; and, is a past President of the Missouri Circuit Judges Section of the Missouri Judicial Conference. As a result, he has personally worked with, and provided training to, most Missouri trial judges currently seated on the bench.

 

Judge Harman is also active in educating and promoting the quality of the Missouri Bar. Over the years, he has lectured and been a panelist at the UMKC Law School, the Missouri University School of Law, the Missouri Bar Association Annual Meeting, and several local bar associations.

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Judge Harman is an active member of his community and especially loves the arts. He is an active jazz musician that has performed at many venues over the years and has held membership in the American Federation of Musicians for decades. He is actively involved in the Liberty United Methodist Church. He also volunteers at the Corbin Theater, a local theater in Liberty, where he once served on its board of directors. He served as a Missouri Masonic Home Board Director. With all this activity, many of Judge Harman’s weekends are spent in volunteer activities.

If he is not volunteering or performing, the judge is probably fly fishing someplace. Or thinking about it.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Mediation and Arbitration, with experience in the following Areas:
 

- Personal Injury                                       - Missouri Merchandising Practices Act

- Product Liability                                    - Construction Matters

- Medical Negligence                                - Railroad Matters

- Race and Gender Discrimination         - Real Estate

- Probate Litigation                                  

 

ADMISSIONS/COURT MEMBERSHIPS

• Missouri 

LEGAL AFFILIATIONS

• Missouri Bar Association

• American Bar Association

• Clay County Bar Association

• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association

• Past member of the Association for Probate and Associate Circuit Judges

• Past member of the National Judicature Society