Supreme Court extends COVID-19 measures
Friday, April 17, 2020
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19), the Supreme Court of Missouri today extended through Friday,
May 15 its statewide suspension of most in-person proceedings, subject to
certain listed exceptions for urgent matters required under the
constitution or state law or otherwise necessary to protect health or
safety.
Despite the restrictions, the state’s courts remain open to conduct
necessary business, though access to court buildings – including the
Supreme Court Building – has been limited to help prevent the spread of the
disease. The Court’s order does not affect a court’s ability to consider or
rule on matters and does not affect required deadlines through the state’s
electronic filing system.
The Court’s order (available at
https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=155033) authorizes local courts to
determine how best to conduct the excepted proceedings and other necessary
court business. The Missouri Courts COVID-19 alert page –
https://www.courts.mo.gov/pandemic/
, launched March 13 – links to the
various orders and notices issued by the Court, the three districts of the
Missouri Court of Appeals, each of the state’s 115 circuit courts and a
growing number of the state’s stand-alone municipal divisions. This web
page is updated throughout each day as new information become available.
Individuals with questions about the status of particular cases should
check Case.net, sign up for alerts through Case.net’s Track This Case tool,
ask their attorney or contact the local clerk’s office.
Also today, the Court suspended until further order any state or local
court rule that could be interpreted to require the personal appearance of
a defendant at a criminal or ordinance violation hearing or proceeding.
This order, which does not pertain to constitutional or statutory
provisions, is available at https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=154993.
As information about and best practices for dealing with COVID-19 continue
to evolve, the Court will continue to discuss how best to balance the
health and safety of the public, judges and court staff statewide with the
judicial branch’s responsibility to uphold the constitutional rights of
litigants seeking redress and other core constitutional functions.
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