Circuit Judge Michael Randazzo is preparing to add “author” to his long list of accomplishments. His debut book, Presiding Over Shadows: From Chaos to Order in the Court, is scheduled for release on September 16, 2025.

Randazzo’s journey to the bench has been marked by resilience and achievement. A first-generation college graduate, he earned degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, completing the Pierre Laclede Honors College program before obtaining his Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2010.

By 2015, Randazzo was running his own law firm and was named to The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 50 Under 40. His career as a prosecutor included more than 3,000 felony cases and 10,000 misdemeanors before he was elected Circuit Judge. In 2021, he was appointed to Missouri’s 42nd Judicial Circuit and, within a year, became one of the youngest presiding circuit judges in state history. To date, he has participated in more than 75 jury trials.

Blending memoir and true crime, Randazzo’s forthcoming book delves into the challenges and contradictions of his life. “I have Italian roots that trace back to the Sicilian Mafia, including Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit and the St. Louis Mafia,” Randazzo said. “The book details some crimes and victimization of my family members. It’s about my family’s history and how it made my path to the bench almost impossible. Even more specifically, it deals with my relationship with my grandfather, who was my hero, despite him being a deeply flawed man.”

Presiding Over Shadows traces his path from a premature birth and struggles with addiction, violence, and trauma to his eventual rise on the bench. Randazzo hopes his story will resonate with readers interested in true crime, mob history, and personal redemption.

Outside the courtroom, Randazzo has built a strong record of service. He has worked as a municipal judge, city prosecutor, city attorney, and public defender across several Missouri communities. He provides free legal counsel to churches, nonprofits, and civic organizations, and promotes civic education through Missouri’s Court Enrichment Program. For more than 20 years, he has also coached youth basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, and softball.

Equal parts unflinching family memoir and courtroom insight, Presiding Over Shadows promises readers a rare look at both the making of a Missouri judge and the legacy of a family entwined with crime and survival.