St. Louis County Court Records

A St. Louis County court record is any information produced and maintained by the trial-level court during legal proceedings, such as civil and criminal cases. The St. Louis County Circuit Court within Missouri's 21st Judicial Circuit maintains these records in compliance with Missouri Supreme Court rules and statutes.

Records such as pleadings, motions, evidence, transcripts, judgments, orders, and docket entries document the progress and outcomes of court cases in the county.

St. Louis County court records are available to help individuals learn more about the law and court system. As a permanent record of legal proceedings, they ensure transparency and accountability in the judicial process. These records also interact with other categories of public records, depending on case types such as criminal court cases, civil lawsuits, small claims, juvenile matters, and family disputes.

Are St. Louis County Court Records Public?

Under Missouri Supreme Court Operating Rule 2 (COR 2) and Missouri's Sunshine Law (Chapter 610, RSMo), most St. Louis County court records are open to members of the public for inspection or copying purposes. Court Operating Rule 2 governs public access to the records of the judicial department of Missouri.

However, both policies do not apply to confidential court records and documents specifically restricted by law. The Missouri Court has the right to seal records under circumstances because releasing these records to the public could endanger a person's right to privacy and obstruct a legal lawsuit. Examples include juvenile proceedings, confidential mental health cases, adoption records, expunged cases, and certain family law filings.

What Information is Available in St. Louis County Court Records?

A typical St. Louis County court record, Missouri, contains information on legal proceedings and judicial actions for specific cases. The information in each party or case type vary and may include:

• Criminal Cases: Criminal case records include arresting agency and charges filed, bail information, sentencing details, and probation terms.
• Civil Cases: Information in this case record type include settlement agreements, orders, and monetary damages involved.
• Probate Cases: Wills and estate inventories, guardianship orders, distribution of assets.
• Family Law Cases: Divorce decrees, child custody, child support, child visitation orders.

Other information of a court record include identifying details, motions, court orders, judgements, complaints, evidence, and bail or bond rulings.

St. Louis County Court Records Search

While searching for St. Louis County Court records in Missouri, it is important to determine the type of court record required, as different departments provide access to various court records.

St. Louis County Court offers several methods to access court records, including:

In-Person Access

Members of the public may visit the St. Louis County Circuit Clerk's Office to request access to court case files. Public terminals are made available at each courthouse during regular business hours. Individuals may also request copies of older or non-digitized files from the Clerk's Records Division. Records may be viewed on site at no cost, while certified or plain copies of documents may require payment.

Online Access

• Missouri offers a statewide electronic records system called Case.net, for individuals interested in accessing records through St. Louis County Circuit Court. Users may search by litigant name (party in the case), filing date, case number, or scheduled hearings and trials. Some documents are not viewable online and may require in-person access only.
• Individuals can also conduct an online case search for traffic and criminal case court records using the ' Find my case' portal. Users may search by full names and date of birth.

Mail and Phone Requests

Although there is no dedicated email or phone number for accessing court records in St. Louis County, record requests can be made by mail directly to the County Clerk's Office. Interested persons can also call the County Clerk's main office for specific inquiries and further questions.

Fees for Court Records in St. Louis County

Fees for St. Louis County court records may apply for searching, copying, and certification, and as such, may vary. Typical costs include $0.30 per photocopy, $1.50 per certified copy + $0.30 per additional copy, and $3.50 per authenticated copy. From St. Louis County Vital Records Office, the cost for vital records in Missouri include $15 per certified copy of a birth record and $14 per certified copy of a death record.

St. Louis County Courthouse Locations

The following are various primary courthouse locations across St. Louis County (21st Judicial Circuit) in Missouri:

Criminal Records Access in St. Louis County

Criminal background checks in Missouri are not handled directly by county courts. The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) is responsible for the maintenance and distribution of accurate information about criminal history records in St. Louis County, Missouri. MHSP collects information from all law enforcement agencies about individuals with notations of arrests, detentions, accusations, criminal charges, and any situation arising from sentences and correctional supervision.

Criminal records are not only available to law enforcement agencies but are also available to non-criminal justice requests. To request criminal background check records, one must provide any of the following:

• Identity information - such as the name, date of birth, and social security number of the individual
• Fingerprint search

Members interested in knowing more about electronic fingerprint submission should visit Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS). All requests via mail will require the completion of a ' Request for Criminal Record Check Form (SHP-158), obtained from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, CJIS Division. Note that all requests submitted on non-MSHP forms will be rejected and returned.

The MACHS Name Search Portal is open to members of the public interested in obtaining personal identification and criminal record checks online. The fee for each name-based or personal identification search through MACHS is $15.00, in addition to a small extra convenience fee. The MACHS Personal Identification Search Portal accepts credit cards for all payments

MACHS Fingerprint Search Portal allows any member of the public to schedule an appointment for fingerprint identification via IDEMIA (St. Louis vendor for fingerprint services and checks). IDEMIA uses an electronic image live scanning machine to capture and process the applicant's fingerprints on MSHP. Note that IDEMIA has no access to criminal case records and does not receive records from applicants.

For local case-level information, criminal case records are available through the Missouri Case.net portal and in-person at the St. Louis County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

St. Louis County Probate Records

Under Missouri law, probate court records are public records, unless sealed by law or court order. The Probate Court Division of St. Louis County Circuit Court creates and maintains probate records. Individuals may access these records such as wills, estate case files, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, probate court orders and judgments, and docket sheets.

St. Louis County probate records filed on or after July 1, 2023 are available on Case.net, Missouri's online court records portal. Alternatively, requesters can visit the Probate Division Clerk's Office in person. However, note that probate-related document containing confidential information will not be available without the county court's approval.

St. Louis County Family Court Records

St. Louis County Family Court Case Records are freely accessible to the public through the statewide court records portal, Case.net. These records contain information on family court cases such as divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, orders of protection, and adoption.

Interested persons may also access certified copies of family court records from the Family Court Division of St. Louis County Court in person. Public terminals at the courthouse also provide access to older records through Case.net with more search options. Each copy is available to eligible persons upon request, but at a specific fee. Photocopy cost $0.30 per photocopy, $1.50 per a certified copy for the first page plus $0.30 for each additional page, and $3.50 for an authenticated copy.

Federal Court Records in St. Louis County

Federal cases in St. Louis County falls under the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, located in Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse. Examples of federal court records handled in the county include federal criminal prosecutions, constitutional claims, civil rights, appeals from federal administrative agencies, and bankruptcy cases. Although they are not maintained by St. Louis County courts, they are under the custody of the U.S. District Court Clerk's Office. Alternatively, PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) portal provides access to federal court records in the county.