Bio

• Mr. Spillane is the deputy unit leader of the habeas unit. He joined Office of the Attorney General in July 1992. Mr. Spillane’s work generally deals with civil challenges to the fact or duration of confinement. This includes habeas petitions, declaratory judgment actions, civil rights litigation, and other writ litigation. His practice has included the state and federal trial courts, the Missouri Court of Appeals, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States and Missouri Supreme Courts.

Practice Areas

• Federal and State habeas corpus litigation
• Federal and State civil litigation
• Federal and state appellate practice

Admitted to Practice

• 1992 Missouri Supreme Court , U.S. Western District of Missouri
• 1994 United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• 1996 Supreme Court of the United States

Education

• 1992 UMKC School of Law J.D. Comment Editor UMKC Law Review. Assistant Editor The Urban Lawyer (an ABA section journal on urban law and land use). One comment published in the UMKC Law Review. Three case digests and one book review published in the Urban Lawyer. Highest grades in Labor Law, Securities Regulation, and Problems and Issues in the Death Penalty. Research assistant to a professor.
• 1988 Creighton University M.A. International Relations. 1984 Webster University Graduate School studied management. 1982 Rockhurst University B.A. political science.

Honors & Awards

• 2019 shared NAAG award for best U.S. Supreme Court brief of term
• 2017 Missouri Attorney General Award best brief; 2014 Attorney General’s Award for extraordinary contribution; 2013 Attorney General’s award for client service.
• 1985 Army Commendation Medal