How do I access court records?

Circuit Clerk (county level - each of Missouri's 114 counties plus City of St. Louis / 45 judicial circuits) / Missouri Courts (state level)

Step by Step

How to do it

Identify what type of record you need: Circuit Court (all trial-level cases - civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims), Court of Appeals (3 districts), or Missouri Supreme Court
Note: Missouri has one unified trial court level (Circuit Court) organized into 45 judicial circuits; each county has a Circuit Clerk
Search online:
CASENET (Missouri Courts' Case Management System): casenet.courts.mo.gov - Missouri's statewide online case information system; free public search covering Circuit Court civil and criminal cases for most counties; search by name or case number; widely used and comprehensive
MLIS (Missouri Legislative Information System): some additional state legal resources
For full case documents or certified copies: contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed
In-person access: visit the county courthouse; bring photo ID and case details

Details

What you need to know

Required Docs

Valid photo ID (for in-person requests)
Case number or full legal name of parties

Fee

CaseNet online case search: free for basic case information; certified copies: typically $0.25-$1.00 per page plus certification; contact specific county Circuit Clerk for current schedule

Processing Time

Immediate online searches; same day or by mail for certified copies

Online Option

Yes - CaseNet at casenet.courts.mo.gov (statewide - excellent resource)

Where to Go

Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed

County-specific variations apply

Missouri's 45 judicial circuits cover all 114 counties plus City of St. Louis. CaseNet covers most circuits comprehensively. Jackson County (Kansas City), St. Louis County, City of St. Louis, Greene County (Springfield), Boone County (Columbia) have large court systems. Note: City of St. Louis is its own circuit, separate from St. Louis County - be sure to check the correct circuit.

Missouri Notes

Important state-specific details

CaseNet (casenet.courts.mo.gov): Missouri's excellent statewide public case information system; covers Circuit Court civil and criminal cases for most of Missouri's 45 circuits; free public access.
Missouri Court of Appeals (3 districts) and Missouri Supreme Court opinions: courts.mo.gov.
Criminal history background checks: Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) - macchiato.mshp.dps.mo.gov; fee-based public background checks.
Missouri Sex Offender Registry: mshp.dps.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CJID/SexOffenderRegistry - searchable online.
Juvenile records: sealed; special access rules apply.
Missouri Sunshine Law (Chapter 610, RSMo): agencies must respond to records requests within 3 business days; fee rules updated in 2025.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

Missouri Courts - courts.mo.gov | (573) 751-4144; CaseNet: casenet.courts.mo.gov; MSHP CJIS (criminal history) - mshp.dps.mo.gov | (573) 526-6153