Rebecca L. Kurz has dedicated her practice to criminal defense with a focus on appellate and post-conviction law since graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1992. During that time her zealous advocacy won reversals for clients convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, assault of a law enforcement officer, forcible sodomy, tampering, and delivery of a controlled substance. She is passionate about the cause of criminal defense and brings to her cases a savvy, strategic approach that features thorough research and carefully honed arguments. In recognition of her outstanding achievement in appellate practice, she was awarded the Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award in 1997. Recipients of this prestigious award are nominated by the judges of the Missouri Courts of Appeals and presented by The Missouri Bar Foundation.
In addition, Rebecca has extensive experience litigating capital post-conviction cases. She was able to obtain a reversal of her client’s death sentence in Alis Ben Johns v. State of Missouri. The Johns case was one of the first Missouri cases to challenge the execution of a person with mental retardation following the United States Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Atkins v. Virginia. The groundwork laid in the Johns case prevented the state from seeking a second death sentence against Mr. Johns in a subsequent prosecution.
Rebecca joined Morgan Pilate LLC in October 2007 and uses her research and writing skills to bring the highest level of advocacy to the litigation of legal issues, whether before trial, on appeal or during post-conviction proceedings.
Education: B.A., Biology, University of Missouri, Columbia
J.D., University of Missouri - Kansas City
Bars: 1992 State of Missouri