Missouri Laws 478.220 – Circuit and associate circuit judges, jurisdiction, restrictions
Circuit judges and associate circuit judges may hear and determine all cases and matters within the jurisdiction of their circuit courts, subject however, to the following restrictions:
(1) Circuit judges shall not hear and determine municipal ordinance violation cases, except upon trial de novo, unless the judge be transferred or assigned to hear and determine the case or that class of case pursuant to section 478.240 or 478.245, or Section 6 of Article V of the Constitution; and
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 478.220
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Probate: Proving a will
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(2) Each circuit judge or associate circuit judge who serves as the judge of the probate division of the circuit court may hear and determine all cases and matters within the probate division of the circuit court in the county for which he is judge in accordance with the rules of civil procedure, except where specific statutes govern procedure in the probate division; and
(3) The provisions of this section authorizing the hearing and determination of particular cases or classes of cases by circuit judges and associate circuit judges shall be subject to the transfer, assignment, and disqualification provisions contained in Article V of the Constitution, in provisions of law, or in court rules which are authorized by the constitution or by law.