Missouri Court Records Search

Missouri Court Records & Case Lookup

Making court records accessible to the public is one major way in which the Missouri government assures the public of impartiality and transparency in its judicial operations. The state's policy on access to court records ensures that physical copies are obtainable at local courthouses, while online access is available via an online portal.

Members of the public make requests for Missouri court records for various purposes. Some requests may be made for personal purposes, such as to confirm the expungement of past convictions or resolving property disputes. Professional uses of Missouri court records include its use in performing due diligence in partnerships or mergers, and checking for previous legal claims or financial issues. Attorneys may also request court records for case precedents research and finding legal arguments that may support their clients.

While court records are generally public, Missouri's rules allow for some records or portions of records to be redacted. Records that may not be accessible to the public include juvenile records, mental health records, Social Security numbers, and sexual assault victim information.

State of Missouri Court System

The Missouri Supreme Court sits atop the state's court system. It is followed by the intermediate appellate court, and then the trial courts, making a three-level hierarchical structure.

The Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in the state, and it handles all appeals except those in the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. Typically, less than 10% of appeals in Missouri are transferred to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is the highest in Missouri and has been since 1820 when the state's first constitution was adopted. Its role includes serving as the final arbiter of disputes relating to Missouri's laws and constitutions. Hence, it decides many of the state's most important and controversial matters, such as legal issues affecting government factions, organizations, businesses, and citizens. The Missouri Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over challenges to the state constitution and matters where the death penalty is imposed.

Other important members and sections of the Missouri judiciary include court reporters, various boards and commissions (such as the Judicial Finance Commission, Juvenile Information Governance Commission, Commission on Facial and Ethnic Fairness, and the Municipal Division Work Group), judicial personnel (such as judges, clerks, and staff who make the court system work), and the Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA).

The OSCA is responsible for providing administrative, business, and technology support services to the courts. Missouri courts celebrated their bicentennial in 2020.

Missouri Trial Courts

The trial courts in Missouri have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. These courts handle the majority of cases heard in the state. The trial courts have multiple divisions, including the municipal court which has original jurisdiction to hear and determine municipal ordinance violations.

Circuit Courts in Missouri

Missouri circuit courts are the state's court of original criminal and civil jurisdiction. Most cases generally begin in the state's circuit court, which allows trials to occur. This court has various divisions, including municipal, family, small claims, probate, associate circuit, criminal, and juvenile.

The counties in Missouri and the City of St. Louis are separated into 46 judicial circuits, with a circuit in every county. The court is typically located in the county seat or the City of St. Louis but may also be in additional locations in the county.

Juvenile and Family Courts

The juvenile and family courts are divisions of the Missouri Circuit Court. They hear specific matters about the family, including juvenile matters of delinquency, child abuse, status, and termination and neglect of parental rights. The family courts handle matters of domestic relations, such as visitation, child support, child custody, and adoption.

Many family courts also hear domestic violence cases, such as child and adult protection orders. Some services, including parenting classes, mediation, counseling, and social services are provided to adults and juveniles via the juvenile and family courts. These services may be rendered via referrals to other agencies or in-house programs.

What are the Specialty Courts in Missouri?

In the last decade, development in the Missouri court system has given rise to many court-based, problem-solving courts or initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at addressing the root causes of criminal involvement of individuals in the criminal justice population, leading to the creation of treatment courts, such as the adult drug court, juvenile treatment court, family treatment court, DWI court, and the veterans' treatment court.

Treatment courts are specialized court programs focused on providing structured support for individuals with substance use disorders, aiming to lower correctional expenses, enhance community safety, and promote public well-being. Through these courts, participants engage in long-term treatment under close supervision.

The treatment court team typically comprises various professionals, including a judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, program coordinator, probation officer, licensed treatment provider, and law enforcement officer. Working together, they ensure treatment court participants in fulfilling their responsibilities to themselves, their families, and the community.

Missouri State Court Records vs. Federal Court Records

Missouri state court records are records filed and generated by courts within the judicial system of the Show-Me State. Hence, records of the Missouri circuit, court of appeals, and supreme courts are called Missouri State court records.

In the same manner, documents filed and created by the two federal courts in Missouri (the United District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri) are federal court records.

There are different ways to access Missouri State court records and federal court records. The Missouri judiciary provides access to state court records via its Case.Net system, while federal court records are available via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).

What Are Public and Non-Public Court Records in Missouri?

Missouri court records are typically categorized as public records except in certain circumstances.

How To Seal or Expunge Missouri Court Records

In Missouri, expungement refers to a process of closing the records of an arrest, guilty plea, or conviction on an individual's record so that it may not be accessible to the public and not appear on background checks. When a record is expunged in the state, only specific agencies, such as law enforcement agencies and the Missouri court system may be able to still access it. Missouri expungement laws are primarily codified under Section 610.140 of the state's revised statutes.

To be eligible for expungement in Missouri, the following conditions apply:

• The offense that requires expungement must be eligible for expungement: Commonly eligible offenses include harassment, gambling, juvenile adjudications, most infractions, and most ordinance violations. public disorder, theft, trespassing, and traffic violations. Common ineligible offenses include a Class A felony offense, an offense requiring registration as a sex offender, a dangerous felony as defined in Section 556.001 of the state's statutes, a felony offense where death is an element of the offense, a felony offense of assault, misdemeanor, or felony offense of domestic assault of kidnapping.
• Expungement would not lead to the individual exceeding the state's limit of one felony and two misdemeanor records total for a lifetime: Some exceptions exist to this rule, such as:
  • Multiple felonies and/or misdemeanors charged in the same case or timeframe may count as a single record for expungement if they meet specific criteria. The record will reflect the highest-level offense among them.
  • Expungements from other states do not count toward Missouri's expungement limit.
  • Expungements related to marijuana offenses, following decriminalization in Missouri, do not count toward the limit.
  • Expungements for DUI, nonsupport, minor in possession, and arrests (if expunged under statutes other than Section 610.140 of the Missouri Revised Statutes) do not count toward the limit.
• The statute of limitation on the offense has elapsed: Missouri requires persons seeking to expunge felonies to wait a minimum of three years after the completion of their sentence. In that period, they must have not been found guilty of a misdemeanor or felony offense, excluding most traffic violations. The same requirement exists for misdemeanors and infractions; however, the number of years required to wait is one and not three
• The individual seeking expungement does not owe any court fees, fines, or restitution on the case for which expungement is sought
• There are no pending charges

How To Expunge Court Records in Missouri

You may apply for an expungement in Missouri in the following way:

• Gather the necessary documents and forms: The Wisconsin judiciary offers several forms for expungement purposes. Different forms may be used for different purposes. These forms are available on the court forms page of the Missouri Judicial Branch website. Also, collect any other documents that may be necessary to complete or support your application
• Complete the appropriate forms: Use the information contained in the documents you have obtained to complete the expungement form.
• Make copies: For reference purposes, make copies of the documents to be submitted
• Submit your petition: File your expungement petition along with any supporting documentation with the clerk of the county court in the courthouse where you were charged
• Pay the applicable fee: While some petitions (depending on the circumstances in the case) do not require an application fee, others may require a fee of up to $250. If you cannot afford the fee, you may submit a Motion and Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed as a Poor Person. Note that the judge will decide if you qualify for a fee waiver.
• Appear at the hearing: The state may file an objection to your petition within 30 days. If an objection is raised, the court will schedule a hearing within 60 days of the filing of the objection. If a hearing is scheduled, you must appear at the hearing. If no objection is raised, the court will schedule a hearing within 30 days after you file your expungement petition.

How Do You Access State of Missouri Court Records?

The Case.Net portal provided by the Missouri judiciary provides access to state court case information online. Physical copies of state court records may be accessed or obtained by visiting the courthouses and submitting a request to the clerk of the court.

Online Access to Missouri Court Records

Missouri's Case.net is the state's resource for the public to access court records. Anyone looking to access court records in the state online may use the resource to access case information for the records of the state's courts. The Case.net portal does not provide access to court documents filed before July 1, 2023. To access records before the stated date, you may use the public access terminal in local courthouses.

You may conduct a Missouri court record search by name by following these steps:

• Visit the Missouri Case.net portal
• On the homepage, select "Litigant name search"
• On the "Required Information" section, select the name of the court in which the case was heard
• In the "Last Name", provide the last name of a party involved in the case.

You may speed up the search feature of the portal by providing additional optional information in the "Optional Information" section. This section requires the user to provide information such as the party's first name and middle name, case type (such as civil, criminal, infraction, or probate), and the year in which the case was filed.

• Select the "Find" button at the bottom of the search page
• Review the search result for the record you want to access

In-Person Access to State of Missouri Court Records

You may obtain a Missouri court record in person by following these steps:

• Identify the Correct Courthouse: Missouri courthouses only maintain records of the cases heard within their physical jurisdiction. Therefore, you must first determine which court heard a case before making an in-person request for the record.
• Visit the Clerk's Office: Upon determining the court location where a case was heard, you may visit the address of the courthouse and locate the office of the clerk of the court. Since the clerk of the court is the custodian of the records of the court, you will be able to request the record you want at the clerk's office.
• Provide the Relevant Case Information: Note that for a court record search to be successful, relevant information must be provided. Examples of the information that will be required to aid the search of the clerk's office include the case number, case party names, or date of filing of the case.
• Complete Request Forms and Pay Fees: The clerk's office typically demands a fee for persons looking to obtain copies (standard or certified) of court records. Typically, it costs $0.50 to print a page of the record requested. Certification of the record costs $4 while authentication costs $6.

How To Request Judicial Administrative Records

Per Missouri Court Operating Rule 2.06, administrative records are considered open to the public. However, exemptions to this public policy include personnel records and other records considered confidential under Chapter 610 of the Missouri Revised Statutes.

Judicial administrative records in Missouri may be obtained from the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) or the office of the clerk of courts in the state. The OSCA is tasked with providing administrative, business, and technology support services to Missouri courts. The OSCA is located at:

How To Access Older and Archived Court Records in Missouri

To retrieve older Missouri court records, you may visit the various courthouses to search their archives. However, you must first determine which of the courthouses in the state heard the case as court records are only maintained locally by the courts with jurisdiction over the matter.

Additionally, the Missouri State Archives maintains historic court records. The Archives has a searchable database that users may use to access archived court records. The Missouri judicial records database may be searched by entering a name in the name field.