Dent County Circuit Court

Dent County Circuit Court cases in Dent County, Salem, MO

Salem Municipal Court is a municipal division of the Missouri Circuit Court for the 42nd Judicial Circuit in Dent County. It has limited jurisdiction over violations of Salem's municipal ordinances, including traffic infractions and other city code matters such as nuisance, property maintenance, animal control, and peace-disturbance offenses. These cases are quasi-criminal and typically involve fines or, where authorized, short jail terms. The court does not handle state-law felonies or misdemeanors, divorces, juvenile, probate, or general civil lawsuits; those are heard in the Dent County Circuit Court. Cases are prosecuted by the city prosecutor, and appeals from municipal judgments go to the circuit court for a trial de novo.

Dent County Circuit Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Dent County Circuit Court

Salem Municipal Court serves the public by adjudicating local cases and providing access to court services. It handles traffic and parking violations, city ordinance/code violations, and misdemeanor criminal cases within its jurisdiction. Core services include case filing and citation processing; scheduling and holding arraignments, pretrial conferences, trials (bench and, when applicable, jury), sentencings, and compliance reviews; issuing warrants and no-contact or protective orders as authorized by law; and managing jury services (summons, qualification, and juror support). The court provides records and forms, interpreters, online and in-person payments, payment plans, diversion or community service options, and information on court dates and appearances. It supports remote or in-person hearings, rescheduling, and disability accommodations to ensure participation.