Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County was established in 1812 and named in honor of the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson. The county covers roughly 566 square miles in southeastern Missouri and is home to around 81,000 residents. The county seat is Jackson, while Cape Girardeau is its largest city.
The court system in Cape Girardeau County includes the Circuit Court and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court is the trial court with original civil and criminal jurisdiction. Its civil division handles non-criminal matters, such as small claims, probate issues, family law, tort claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and contract breaches. On the other hand, the criminal division of the Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court adjudicates felonies and misdemeanors. Municipal Courts in Cape Girardeau County manage violations of city ordinances, commonly known as city tickets. These violations usually include traffic offenses, juvenile drug and alcohol offenses (DWI), truancy, property disputes, common assault, shoplifting, and probation hearings.
In Cape Girardeau County, public court records refer to documents and case files generated from case proceedings handled by the Circuit or Municipal Courts. These records typically document the progress and outcomes of court cases, including important events or court orders. They may include case filings, court judgments, transcripts, case information, and agreements maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk and Municipal Court Clerks. Physical copies of public court records may be stored at the courthouses where the cases were filed or on online databases offered by custodians.
The following public court records in Cape Girardeau County are available to anyone upon request:
- Civil Court Records
- Criminal Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Small Claims Court Records
- Traffic Court Records
To access Cape Girardeau County court records or docket information, contact the Circuit Clerk's Office at:
Cape Girardeau County Courthouse
32nd Judicial Circuit
203 North High Street
Jackson, MO 63755
Phone: (573) 243-1755
Interested persons may also request criminal records in the custody of the Circuit Clerk via email. Additionally, they can visit Missouri's case search portal to look up public court records in Cape Girardeau County by case number, party name, or other search criteria. However, these records may be inaccessible online or at the Clerk's Office because they contain confidential information.
