Bill > HB1502

This bill modifies two sections of Missouri law related to court administration, making several key changes. In the first section, the bill updates references to specific statutory sections regarding municipal court automation, allowing cities, counties, villages, and other municipalities to implement court automation by adopting an ordinance imposing a specific surcharge and entering into an agreement with the state courts administrator. The bill permits these surcharges to continue for a longer period than previously allowed and creates provisions for special fund management. In the second section, the bill adjusts court case filing and assignment procedures, specifically addressing how cases are filed and assigned in counties with centralized filing. The bill provides guidelines for case assignments to associate circuit judges, emphasizing that assignments should, when possible, avoid moving cases between courthouses without parties' consent and should minimize scheduling conflicts for litigants and counsel. The changes aim to streamline court administration processes and provide more consistent and efficient case management across Missouri's court system, with particular attention to procedural fairness and practical logistics of case assignment and hearing scheduling.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1502&year=2025&code=R