Howell County
Located in the southern region of Missouri, Howell County was established in 1857 and named after the pioneer settler in the Howell Valley, James Howell. It has a land area of 927 square miles and a population of about 40,000 people. West Plains is its county seat and largest city. The people of Howell County are served by Circuit and Municipal Courts.
The Howell County Circuit Court is the primary court for the county, and it has original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. It is divided into specialized divisions to handle specific cases. The Criminal and Traffic Division hears felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic cases, while the Civil and Family Division handles all civil and family law matters, such as civil tort, equity, employment disputes, medical malpractice cases, contract disputes, divorce, annulment, spousal support, emancipation, child custody, termination of parental rights, and child support. The Probate Division manages different matters of probate that include the management of trusts or estates, admission of wills, as well as the appointment of any guardianships.
Municipal courts in Howell County handle municipal ordinance violations within their boundaries. There are three municipal courts in Howell County in West Plains, Mountain View, and Willow Springs
In Howell County, court schedules, writs, court filings, motions, depositions, sentences, warrants, judgments, and court orders that are accessible to the public are considered public court records. These records are produced in the county courts and can be in text, video, or audio forms. The Howell County Circuit Court Clerk maintains court records from the Circuit Court, while the clerks within municipal courts maintain their records.
Unless sealed by court orders, Howell County's public has access to the following kinds of court records:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Family Law Records
- Probate Records
- Traffic Records
Individuals interested in accessing public court records from Howell County may use the Missouri CaseNet platform to search for them. They can also visit the Circuit Court to use the public terminal within its premises to view public records from the Circuit Court. Furthermore, they can examine or request copies of non-confidential court records from the court clerks.
