Boone County, Missouri State Court Records
Boone County court records are a collection of papers, documents, and other related materials pertaining to a particular case or controversy that was tried or resolved within the county. These records constitute a formal, accurate log of legal proceedings and are preserved by the clerk of the court operating in Boone: the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri.
Court records in Boone foster public accessibility to the judicial branch, ensuring the judiciary remains transparent and answerable to the community it serves. They also provide historical context for legal matters, including those that may have contributed to the evolution of law, society, or the economy over time. Additionally, the records are useful for background checks, genealogical research, and appellate review.
Examining court records alongside other public documents can provide a more comprehensive view of a legal issue or reveal details not present in a single source. For example, integrating local and federal case files offers a complete overview of an individual or entity’s legal background. Furthermore, warrant records, which are usually accessible via law enforcement (e.g., the Boone County Sheriff’s Office), can be cross-referenced with related pending court cases.
Are Boone County Court Records Public?
Yes. Missouri Court Operating Rule 2 (COR 2) governs public access to the records of the Missouri judicial branch. COR 2 allows anyone to view or obtain Boone County court records, regardless of their intended use.
Notwithstanding, specific legal protections require that certain information or documents be exempted from public disclosure. These restricted records, which may be made confidential by statute, court rule, or court order, are withheld from the general public. However, certain parties, including the case parties, their legal representatives, court officials, and public or private organizations authorized by law, typically retain access.
Confidential court records or sensitive information that must be withheld or redacted include
- Expunged or Sealed Records: Any case record that has been legally expunged or sealed by a court order.
- Dates of Birth: Full dates of birth (though the year of birth may be released).
- Dismissed/Acquitted Cases: Records of cases that resulted in a nolle prosequi, dismissal, or acquittal (§ 610.105, RSMo).
- Specific Case Types: Child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, adoption, mental health, and grand jury proceedings.
- Minors: Full names and addresses of individuals known to be minors (i.e., underaged persons).
- Personal Identifiers: Social security, driver’s license, taxpayer identification, state identification, and passport numbers, as well as full financial account details.
- Sensitive Contact Info: Addresses and contact details for victims, witnesses, and informants.
What Information is Available in Boone County Court Records?
Boone County court records include a variety of documents and information generated during legal proceedings. The exact contents of the court file vary by the case and its complexity, but typical examples are
- Party Information: Names of the defendant(s), plaintiff(s), and their respective legal counsel.
- Case Details: The case number, case type (e.g., traffic, civil, criminal, probate), case title, current status (pending or disposed), file date, assigned trial judge, disposition type, and disposition date.
- Case Calendar/Schedule: Dates, times, and specific courtroom locations for hearings.
- Financial and Bond Details: Information on court costs, fines, money judgments, and bail/bond amounts, including whether they have been fully paid/satisfied and the date of satisfaction.
- Filed Documents: Motions, pleadings, affidavits, responses, warrants, documentary exhibits, judgments, returns of services, and orders.
Boone County Court Records Search
To find court records in Boone County, individuals have the following options:
- The Missouri Case.Net Portal: The Case.net platform is the official automated case management system for the Missouri Judicial Branch, covering all circuit courts within the state. Individuals can access this system by litigant name, filing date, case number, or scheduled hearing. They can also look up a judgment index.
When searching for Boone County court records on the Case.net system, it is recommended to specify the court level (i.e., "Boone County - 13th Judicial Circuit"), so the results will be constrained to that jurisdiction. Also, optional filters can be applied to further refine the search, such as first or middle name, case type, filing year, case status, and specific filing location (circuit division or municipal division).
Once a case is located on the results page, clicking the case number provides access to all related case details, including
- Docket entries
- Parties and attorneys
- Charges, judgments, and sentences
- Civil judgments
- Scheduled hearings & trials
- Garnishments/execution
Users can both view case information and download/print uncertified copies of many non-confidential case documents.
- The Boone County Circuit Clerk’s Office: As the primary custodian of court records in Boone County, the Circuit Clerk manages all records of the Boone Circuit Court and nearly all of its associated municipal divisions.
To seek record access through the clerk’s office, one may visit the county courthouse (where the clerk’s office is located) to view cases for free or submit a formal request for physical copies. Requesters will need to know at least a case party’s name or the case number to enable efficient record retrieval, and fees apply to obtain standard (uncertified/plain) copies or certified copies of documents.
The clerk’s office can be reached at (573) 886-4000 for record inquiries.
- The Columbia Municipal Court: To access records for a case filed in the Columbia Municipal Court, individuals can inquire directly at the municipal courthouse. Although this court is a part of the 13th Judicial Circuit, it handles its own record inquiries. The municipal courthouse is open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Alternatively, requests for municipal court records can be submitted online using the court’s official request form. Note that fees are associated with these requests.
Fees for Court Records in Boone County
Certain fees apply to acquire a copy of a Boone County court record from the circuit court. Record inspections are generally free.
Circuit Clerk’s Office: Schedule of Copy Fees
For records maintained by the Boone County Clerk’s Office, copy costs are set out in the 13th Judicial Circuit’s fees schedule:
- Photocopies and microfilm copies: 1st page = $1; Each additional page = 10 cents
- Facsimile filings: 1st page = $1; Each additional page = 10 cents
- Certified (official) copies: $1 per document
- Attested copies: $1 per seal
Postage, credit/debit card payments, and clerk processing time may incur additional fees. Clerk time is billed at $15 per hour.
No charge is assessed for the first copy of a judgment, and no charge is assessed for copies of facsimile filings issued to any state agency or department.
Columbia Municipal Division: Schedule of Copy Fees
For records maintained by the Columbia Municipal Division, these fees apply:
- Standard Copy: $3
- Certified Copy: $4
Note On Vital Records: Although civil wedding ceremonies can be performed at the Boone County Courthouse, the circuit court is neither the custodian of marriage records nor of other vital records in Boone County.
To obtain a Boone County marriage record (certificate), the Boone County Recorder of Deeds is the appropriate contact. The Recorder charges the following fees:
- $1 per standard copy
- $9 per certified copy (Free for military purposes, up to 5 certified copies)
To order vital records (birth/death certificates), eligible parties can contact the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department or the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City. The state department also issues certified statements regarding divorces or marriages to verify these events for official use.
Boone County Courthouse Locations
The 13th Judicial Circuit Court functions as the main trial court for both Boone and Callaway counties within Missouri’s unified judicial system, exercising general trial jurisdiction over all legal matters under state law or local ordinance.
To effectively manage its extensive caseload, the court is structured into distinct divisions: civil, criminal, family, probate, accounting/traffic, and municipal. Despite this, all sections of the Boone County Circuit Court, except certain municipal divisions, operate from a single shared courthouse facility in Columbia.
The following are the locations of the courthouses in Boone County, Missouri:
13th Judicial Circuit of Missouri - Boone County
705 East Walnut Street
Columbia, MO 65201
Phone: (573) 886-4000
13th Judicial Circuit of Missouri - Municipal Courts in Boone County
Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville, and Sturgeon Municipal Divisions
Boone County Courthouse
705 East Walnut Street
Columbia, MO 65201
Phone: (573) 886-4000
600 East Broadway
Columbia, MO 65201
Phone: (573) 874-7230
Fax: (573) 874-7231
Criminal Records Access in Boone County
Criminal records in Boone County can be accessed through several avenues. Individuals can visit the courthouses in Columbia, which include the Boone County Courthouse and the Columbia Municipal Division Courthouse. The Boone County Circuit Court manages records for state-level criminal cases, such as felonies and misdemeanors. In contrast, municipal divisions handle cases involving city ordinance violations (that is, city tickets).
Records may be obtained by
- Contacting the Boone County Circuit Clerk’s Office directly (for records from the circuit court and all municipal divisions, except the Columbia Municipal Division).
- Visiting or contacting the Columbia Municipal Division, if the case originated there.
- Utilizing the online Missouri Case.Net portal.
However, the courts do not hold or issue a person’s comprehensive criminal record-they only maintain the judicial record. Statewide criminal history records should be sourced from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the state’s central repository for criminal information. This agency offers name-based searches (also called Personal Identifier Checks) for $15 per request, plus a nominal convenience fee, and fingerprint-based searches for $20 per request.
Anyone can request a Personal Identifier Check through the MSHP’s Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS), but fingerprint checks are restricted to the subject of the record or a qualified requesting entity.
Boone County Probate Records
Probate records are judicial documents stemming from cases initiated by parties to administer a deceased person’s estate, often involving validating the will (if any), appointing executors or personal representatives, settling creditor claims, and distributing the remaining assets to beneficiaries.
The Boone CountyProbate Division of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court manages specialized cases. Beyond handling traditional probate matters, the court presides over guardianships and conservatorships for minors or adults deemed incapacitated, trust proceedings, and mental health cases. The division maintains the formal Boone County probate records, historically referred to as "estate records," which serve as a comprehensive account of how the legal, personal, and financial affairs of individuals and estates are administered under the court’s supervision.
Most probate records in Boone County, Missouri, are accessible to the public under Missouri Court Operating Rule 2. The general public can request access either through the Boone County Circuit Clerk’s Office (by submitting a copy request or contacting/visiting the office) or by using the Missouri Case.Net portal. However, some records are legally protected and exempt from public disclosure. These confidential records include mental health files, guardianship/conservatorship reports, physician or clinical evaluation records, and wills belonging to living individuals.
Older Records
Earlier Boone County probate files (1819 to 1981) are available for in-person viewing at the Boone County Courthouse; these files are currently unavailable online. Requesters will need a name or estate number for the search. The Clerk’s online indexes from 1819 through 1925 and then 1925 through 1981 can be used to find the respective estate number.
Boone County Family Court Records
The Boone County Family Division of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court keeps records related to a variety of domestic matters governed by Missouri family law. These matters include divorce (dissolution of marriage), child custody, adoption, child support, visitation, spousal support (alimony), paternity suits, name changes, adult and child order of protection cases, juvenile cases, and other disputes or actions handled by the court.
Under Missouri Court Operating Rule 2 and related state/federal statutes, family court records are among the documents/files disseminated to the general public, but confidentiality provisions apply when a record is withheld from disclosure by law, court order, or court rule. Examples of confidential or restricted family court records include medical records, parenting plans, mediation reports, income tax returns, guardian ad litem reports, adoption files, substance abuse treatment records, and juvenile records.
In Boone County, family court records are available for public viewing and can be searched using the processes detailed in the "Boone County Court Records Search" section above.
Federal Court Records in Boone County
The federal court operating in Boone County is the U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri, in Jefferson City. This court hears all civil, criminal, and bankruptcy cases arising under federal law within the borders of Boone County.
To access case records from this court, individuals have these options:
- Utilize the online federal case locator (PACER). PACER requires a nominal fee for access (currently 10 cents for each page and $2.40 per audio file). However, usage is free in certain situations.
- Submit a copy request to the clerk’s office of the Western District of Missouri in person, via mail, or by email. Copy costs include
- 50 cents per page for documents not maintained electronically
- 10 cents per page for electronic records
- $12 + the copy fee (for a certified copy)
- $24 + the copy fee (for an exemplified copy)