On January 12th, 2009, Chris Koster was sworn in as the 41st Attorney General of the state of Missouri. Koster campaigned on a platform of prosecuting fraudulent Medicaid providers; cracking down on violations of workers' rights; aggressively enforcing Missouri's environmental laws; and supporting law enforcement in fighting the spread of methamphetamines and preventing urban crime.
From 2004 to 2008, Koster represented the 31st district in the Missouri Senate, which covers Cass, Johnson, Bates and Vernon Counties.
During his time in the General Assembly, Koster played key roles in the debates over stem cell research, tort reform, and the elimination of Medicaid fraud. Additionally, in 2006 Koster successfully carried legislation in the Senate to dramatically overhaul Missouri's eminent domain laws.
Prior to his election to the Missouri Senate, Koster served as Cass County Prosecuting Attorney for ten years. He was first elected prosecutor in 1994 and was re-elected in 1998 and 2002 by wide margins.
As prosecutor, Koster supervised a staff of twenty individuals dedicated to enforcing Missouri's criminal laws. Additionally, his office served as the civil counsel for all non-criminal matters before the county government.
During his tenure, Koster supervised litigation in thousands of cases. He led investigations into many of Kansas City's most notorious criminal cases, including the investigation and prosecution of serial killer John E. Robinson. He has extensive trial experience and has personally argued and won cases before the Missouri Supreme Court.
Prior to becoming prosecuting attorney, Koster practiced law with the Kansas City law firm of Blackwell Sanders. He also served as an Assistant Attorney General from 1991 to 1993.
Koster was born and raised in St. Louis. He received a liberal arts degree from the University of Missouri in 1987 and his law degree from University of Missouri School of Law in 1991. Additionally, Koster earned a Masters in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis in 2002.