St. Louis Courthouse Guide for Personal Injury Claims

St. Louis is unusual because the City of St. Louis is an independent city — it is not part of St. Louis County. This means the two jurisdictions have entirely separate court systems, separate police departments, and separate filing requirements. Where you file your personal injury lawsuit depends on where the accident happened or where the defendant lives.

St. Louis City — 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, Civil Courts Building, 10 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63101. The Circuit Clerk's office handles approximately 40,000 new civil and criminal cases each year. Phone: (314) 622-4405. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Civil Courts Building is located downtown near the Gateway Arch, accessible via MetroLink (Civic Center station).

St. Louis County — 21st Judicial Circuit Court, 105 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105. This courthouse serves all of unincorporated St. Louis County and its 88 municipalities. Phone: (314) 615-8029. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The courthouse is in downtown Clayton, accessible via MetroLink (Clayton station).

If your accident happened on a highway that crosses between the City and County, check your police report — the investigating agency (St. Louis Metropolitan Police for the City, or St. Louis County Police for the County) determines which jurisdiction handled the scene. Missouri venue rules (RSMo 508.010) generally allow you to file in the county where the defendant resides or where the cause of action arose.

Missouri attorneys must e-file all civil case documents through the statewide Missouri eFiling System at courts.mo.gov. This requirement has been in effect since April 2016. Create an account, select the correct circuit (22nd for the City, 21st for the County), choose the case category (Civil — Personal Injury/Tort), upload your petition, and pay the filing fee electronically. Pro se (self-represented) litigants are exempt from the e-filing requirement and may file paper documents at the circuit clerk's office.

Your petition must state the facts of the accident, identify each defendant, explain how the defendant's negligence caused your injuries, and specify the damages you seek. Missouri is a fact-pleading state (Missouri Supreme Court Rule 55.05) — your petition must contain a short and plain statement of the facts showing you are entitled to relief. Include the date and location of the accident, what the defendant did wrong, how it caused your injuries, and the categories of damages you are claiming.

After filing, the court assigns a case number. You must serve each defendant with the petition and summons. In Missouri, service can be made by the county sheriff, a private process server, or certified mail with return receipt requested (Missouri Supreme Court Rule 54.13). The defendant has 30 days after service to file a responsive pleading. If served by publication, the response deadline is 45 days after the first publication date.

For questions about the Missouri eFiling System, contact the Missouri Courts Help Desk. For questions about local filing procedures, contact the circuit clerk at (314) 622-4405 (City) or (314) 615-8029 (County).

Missouri circuit court filing fees are set by statute (RSMo Chapter 488). The base filing fee for a circuit civil case is $45.00, plus a $15.00 court reporter fee, plus additional surcharges that vary by circuit. In St. Louis City (22nd Circuit), total initial filing costs for a personal injury case typically run approximately $100 to $200 depending on the specific surcharges and service fees. In St. Louis County (21st Circuit), expect a similar range. Contact the clerk's office for the exact current total before filing.

Small claims filing fees are lower — typically $25 to $50 depending on the claim amount. The St. Louis County Courts website publishes its current fee schedule at stlcountycourts.com. For St. Louis City fees, contact the Circuit Clerk's office at (314) 622-4405 or visit stlcitycircuitcourt.com.

If you cannot afford the filing fee, Missouri provides a fee waiver process. File a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis with an affidavit of indigency. The court will review your financial situation. Beyond the filing fee, budget for service of process fees ($25 to $75 for sheriff service), deposition costs, expert witness fees, and trial preparation expenses. Most personal injury attorneys in St. Louis work on contingency — they advance these costs and recover them from your settlement or verdict, typically taking 33% to 40% of the recovery.

Missouri small claims court handles civil disputes where the amount in controversy is $5,000 or less, exclusive of interest and costs (RSMo 482.305). If your personal injury damages — medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering combined — exceed $5,000, you cannot use small claims court.

Missouri organizes civil cases into tiers by claim amount. Small Claims covers claims of $5,000 or less. The Associate Circuit Division handles claims from $5,001 to $25,000. The Circuit Division handles claims over $25,000. Personal injury cases with significant injuries almost always exceed the small claims threshold — a single emergency room visit in St. Louis can easily generate $5,000 or more in medical bills.

Small claims court is faster and less formal. Hearings are typically scheduled within 30 to 60 days, the rules of evidence are relaxed, and many people represent themselves. However, the $5,000 cap severely limits its usefulness for personal injury claims. If your damages are modest — a minor fender bender with a brief urgent care visit and no lost wages — small claims may work. For anything more, you need the Associate Circuit or Circuit Division.

Missouri offers a free statewide case lookup system called CaseNet at courts.mo.gov/casenet. You can search by case number, party name, date of birth, or attorney name. CaseNet covers all Missouri circuit courts, including both St. Louis City (22nd Circuit) and St. Louis County (21st Circuit). No account is required for basic case information.

CaseNet displays docket entries, hearing dates, judge assignments, party information, and case status. For personal injury cases, use this to track your filing dates, monitor the defendant's response, and confirm upcoming hearing dates. Some documents may be restricted from public view under Missouri Supreme Court Rules.

The Missouri eFiling System also provides case access for registered users. Attorneys can view and download filings in their cases. For questions about case records, contact the circuit clerk at (314) 622-4405 (City) or (314) 615-8029 (County).

Both St. Louis courthouses require security screening upon entry — empty your pockets, remove belts, and send bags through the X-ray machine. Cell phones are allowed but must be silenced in courtrooms. No weapons are permitted. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled hearing.

At the Civil Courts Building (City), check the directory board in the lobby or ask the information desk for your courtroom assignment. Dress professionally — business casual at minimum. Address the judge as 'Your Honor.' If you are self-represented, the judge may explain procedures, but you are held to the same rules as attorneys.

Parking at the Civil Courts Building in downtown St. Louis is available in nearby garages and metered street parking. MetroLink's Civic Center station is one block away. The Clayton courthouse (County) has a parking garage adjacent to the building. MetroLink's Clayton station is within walking distance. Both courthouses are ADA accessible.

Missouri maintains broad sovereign immunity for government entities under RSMo 537.600. The state waives immunity in only two situations: (1) injuries caused by the negligent operation of a motor vehicle by a government employee acting within the scope of employment, and (2) injuries caused by a dangerous condition on public property where the entity had actual or constructive notice of the danger.

If your injury was caused by a pothole on a St. Louis city street, a defective traffic signal, or a crash with a government vehicle, you may have a claim — but only if your case fits within one of the two statutory exceptions. The cap on damages against a government entity in Missouri is $414,711.29 per claimant (adjusted periodically for inflation under RSMo 537.610). This cap applies to the total recovery, including economic and non-economic damages.

Claims against the State of Missouri itself must be filed with the Missouri Attorney General's office. Claims against the City of St. Louis or St. Louis County are filed in the relevant circuit court. Because sovereign immunity in Missouri is complex and the exceptions are narrow, consult an attorney immediately if a government entity may be responsible for your injury. The 5-year statute of limitations still applies, but building a case against a government entity takes more time because of additional procedural requirements.

If you were injured in St. Louis and you are considering filing a lawsuit, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Missouri's filing deadline for your specific claim, whether your case would likely go to small claims or circuit court, how Missouri's pure comparative fault rule applies to your situation, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense.

Filing a lawsuit is a big step — but understanding your options should not be. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to make an informed decision about what comes next.