Jackson County Circuit Court Chambers Communication Rules
81 rules from official source documents
Rules for contacting chambers: permitted methods, hours, and purposes. This page is scoped to Jackson County Circuit Court; use the court rules overview to switch categories without leaving this court.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
After settlement before trial, notice must be provided as soon as possible to Division 13 and the Law Clerk by email.
If the case is settled prior to trial, as soon as possible provide notice to the Court via e-mail to Division 13 at div13.cir16@courts.mo.gov and the Law Clerk.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
All served attorneys and unrepresented parties must be copied on e-mail, and ex parte communications are not accepted.
You must include all attorneys and unrepresented parties who have been served on any e-mail. The Court will not accept ex parte communication per Supreme Court Rule 2-2.9.
E-mail must not be used to argue substantive issues, and the Court must not be copied on party disputes because the Judge will not read them.
E-mail is not an appropriate platform for arguing substantive issues regarding the case. Do not copy the Court on ongoing disputes among the Parties. The Judge will not read these e-mails.
Parties must not seek legal advice from the Court or Division staff and must file a motion when relief is needed beyond scheduling.
The Court cannot provide legal advice. Do not ask the Court or Division staff for advice on how to do something. If you need something beyond scheduling, file a motion seeking relief.
The Judge must not be e-mailed directly.
Do not e-mail the Judge directly.
The Court will not participate in ex parte contact, and counsel or a party must not discuss the case's substance with the Court or Division staff without the opposing party present.
The Court will not participate in ex parte contact with an attorney or a party. Do not attempt to engage the Court or Division staff in discussions about the substance of the case without the opposing party present.
If no pretrial conference date is set at the case management conference, the parties must contact the Law Clerk at least one month before trial to schedule it.
If a date for pre-trial conference is not set at the case management conference, the parties shall contact the Division 13 Law Clerk, at least one month prior to the trial date, to schedule a pre-trial conference.
- Contact
Criminal hearings must be requested and scheduled by email with the Judicial Administrative Assistant, with both parties included, and pending-motion hearings must be coordinated before being scheduled at the case management conference.
All criminal hearings must be requested and scheduled with the Judicial Administrative Assistant via email, including both parties. Hearings on pending motions will not be ===== PAGE 2 ===== available at the case management conference setting unless you have coordinated the hearing with the Judicial Administrative Assistant.
Emails to the Court must include opposing counsel or unrepresented parties to comply with the stated ex parte communication rule.
The Court strictly adheres to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 2-2.9 regarding Ex Parte Communication. Please include opposing counsel or unrepresented parties in emails to the Court.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Proposed jury instructions must be emailed to the Division Law Clerk by the Friday before the trial date.
All proposed jury instructions (with MAI citations) must be emailed to the Division Law Clerk the Friday before the trial date.
Attorneys with clients or witnesses lacking internet access, and unrepresented parties lacking internet access, must immediately contact Division 5 staff after receiving the notice.
Attorneys whose clients or witnesses do not have access to the internet should contact the ===== PAGE 2 ===== Division 5 staff members listed below immediately upon receipt of this notice. Parties unrepresented by counsel (pro se) who do not have access to the internet should also contact the Division 5 staff members listed below immediately upon receipt of this notice.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
The specified pretrial materials must be emailed to the identified chambers address and filed five days before the pretrial conference.
Five days before the pretrial conference, the parties will email to chambers at Div9.cir16@courts.mo.gov and file in the casefile:
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Proposed jury instructions must be sent by email to the Division Law Clerk at least one day before the pretrial conference.
All proposed jury instructions (with MAI citations) must be emailed to the Division Law Clerk at least one (1) day prior to the pre-trial conference.
The parties must contact the law clerk during the week before trial to discuss exhibit numbering.
The parties shall contact the law clerk the week before trial to discuss numbering exhibits.
Attorneys will be seen before a hearing docket commences only if doing so will not delay the docket.
Please note that attorneys will only be seen before the commencement of the hearing docket in Kansas City or Independence if the hearing docket will not be delayed as a result thereof.
Afternoon conferences in Kansas City and Friday conferences in Independence require appointments unless an emergency is involved.
Afternoon conferences in Kansas City and Friday conferences in Independence are by appointment only, unless the conference involves an emergency.
If no pretrial-conference date was set at case management, the parties may contact the Division 8 Law Clerk at least one month before trial to schedule one.
If a date for pre-trial conference is not set at the case management conference, the parties may contact the Division 8 Law Clerk, at least one month prior to the trial date, to schedule one.
Email must not be used to argue substantive issues or copy the Court on disputes between the parties, and the Judge will not read such emails.
E-mail is not an appropriate platform for arguing substantive issues regarding the case. Do not copy the Court on ongoing disputes among the Parties. The Judge will not read these e-mails.
Do not request legal advice from the Court or Division staff; file a motion when relief is needed beyond scheduling.
Do not ask the Court or Division staff for advice on how to do something. If you need something beyond scheduling, file a motion seeking relief.
Do not email the Judge directly.
Do not e-mail the Judge directly.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
Telephone appearance at an initial Case Management Conference requires express permission from the Court.
Appearance by telephone is not permitted without express permission from the Court.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
An e-mail subject line must include the case number first and then the case style.
The case number and style of the case shall be included in the subject line with the case number first.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
A request for a motion hearing should be made by e-mail, should state the specific reason, and should copy all parties; the Court schedules a hearing only if the Judge finds it necessary.
However, if a request for a hearing is made due to a specific reason (i.e. complicated facts, evidence to be presented, etc.), then please state that reason in the e-mail requesting the hearing with all parties copied on the e-mail. If the Judge finds that a hearing is necessary, the Court will reach out to schedule that hearing.
Parties must check Case.net before contacting the Division with questions.
Before contacting the Division with any questions, please check Case.net first.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
Parties must notify the Court by e-mail as soon as possible if the case settles before trial.
If the case is settled prior to trial, As soon as possible, provide notice to the Court via e-mail to Division 13 at div13.cir16@courts.mo.gov and the Law Clerk.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
Attorneys who agree to work informally on a discovery issue may schedule a conference call with the Judge.
If the attorneys have a discovery issue and agree to try and work it out informally, the attorneys can contact the Court and schedule a conference call with the Judge to discuss the issues.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
Initial civil case management conferences may be attended by WebEx with the required equipment and bandwidth, but telephone appearance requires express court permission.
Initial Civil Case Management Conferences may be attended via WebEx if those who intend to appear by WebEx have computers that have a video camera, microphone, and adequate bandwidth. Appearance by telephone is not permitted without express permission from the Court.
If the initial case management conference does not result in a scheduling order, the Court will schedule another conference.
In the event that the initial case management conference does not result in a Scheduling Order, another case management conference will be scheduled.
The subject line must state the case number first and then include the style of the case.
The case number and style of the case shall be included in the subject line with the case number first.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Counsel for both parties may select an available trial date and obviate the case management hearing only if they email the clerk confirming the trial date, that no guardian ad litem is needed, and that mediation will occur at least 14 days before trial.
Counsel with domestic cases scheduled for case management in Division 17 may select a trial date and alleviate the need for a case management hearing provided the following: 1. Counsel for both parties confirms via email to the Court’s clerk a (1) trial date; (2) no guardian ad litem is necessary; and (3) the parties will mediate the case at least 14 days prior to the selected trial date.
- Contact
- Phone to duty judge
- Phone
- 1-408-418-9388
If WebEx cannot be accessed or technical difficulties occur, participants may join the hearing by telephone using the listed number and access code.
In the event you, your client or witnesses cannot make a connection as described above or have technical difficulties you may join the meeting by phone with the following phone number (1-408-418-9388) and access code (965115362).
Court correspondence will be sent only to each party's lead attorney of record, who is responsible for distributing it to the other attorneys of record.
Court staff will only send correspondence from the Court (judgments, orders, notices, communications, etc) to the lead attorney of record for each party in the case. Lead attorneys are responsible for disseminating said correspondence to any other attorneys of record.
- Contact
Email communications must include all parties, may not be ex parte, and may not copy the Court on ongoing disputes.
Make sure you include all parties on any e-mail. The Court will not accept ex parte communication. Do not copy the Court on ongoing disputes amongst the parties. The Judge will not read these e-mails.
Emailing the judge directly is prohibited.
Do not e-mail the Judge directly.
Parties may not seek procedural advice from the Court or Division staff and must file a motion for relief beyond scheduling.
Do not ask the Court or Division staff for advice on how to do something. If you need something beyond scheduling, file a motion seeking relief.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
Pro se parties and attorneys appearing for another attorney must email the Division when they are in the virtual lobby.
If you're a PRO SE PARTY or an ATTORNEY APPEARING FOR ANOTHER ATTORNEY, please EMAIL the Division to alert the staff that you are in the virtual lobby.
The parties should contact the Court before filing written pleadings concerning discovery disputes.
The parties should contact the Court prior to filing any written pleadings regarding discovery disputes.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
The Court should not be notified of a discovery dispute until the parties have attempted to resolve it by phone, video conference, or in-person discussion.
the Court should not be notified of a discovery dispute unless and until the parties have attempted to resolve the issue via phone call, video conference, or in-person discussion.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
When contacting the Court about a discovery dispute, each party must briefly describe the dispute by email to the Division Law Clerk.
In contacting the Court, the parties shall each briefly describe the discovery dispute via an e-mail to the Division Law Clerk.
Division 10 hearing participation by phone or Webex requires express authorization from the court.
Attendance by phone or Webex is not permitted without express authorization by the Court.
- Contact
- Phone
- Phone
- (816) 881-3920
For assistance with video-conferencing appearances, call (816) 881-3920 Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
FOR ASSISTANCE ON APPEARANCES BY VIDEO CONFERENCING, PLEASE CALL (816) 881-3920, Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
- Contact
- Phone to clerk
If staffing is insufficient for all 30 weekly in-person clerk hours, the clerk may instead provide information by live telephone communication for up to 15 of those hours.
In the event the court does not have sufficient staff to have a clerk available for all of the thirty (30) hours in person, the clerk may instead be made available for up to fifteen (15) of the thirty (30) hours to provide information about charges, payments, and court operations through live communication by telephone, email, or other means of electronic communication.
- Contact
- Phone
A pre-filing telephone conference with the Judge or Commissioner is advisable for emergency guardianship or conservatorship relief to demonstrate the emergency, set the hearing time, and expedite service and appointment of respondent's attorney.
A telephone conference with the Judge or Commissioner in advance of filing a petition seeking emergency relief is advisable for the purpose of demonstrating that an emergency, in fact, exists and for the purpose of fixing the time for the hearing and expediting service on respondent and the appointment of respondent's attorney.
- Contact
- Phone
Court personnel will not answer telephone inquiries about the status of pleadings or proposed orders.
Court personnel will not respond to telephone inquiries regarding the status of pleadings and proposed orders.
Attorneys are responsible for determining document status by reviewing the file on Case.net.
It is the responsibility of the attorney to ascertain the status of any documents by reviewing the file on Case.net.
The Probate Division in Kansas City and Independence is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Probate Division of Kansas City and Independence is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Attorneys may obtain walk-in conferences with a judicial officer, with specified scheduling windows in Kansas City and around Monday and Thursday dockets in Independence.
Attorneys may obtain conferences without an appointment with the Judge, Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner. In Kansas City, these conferences should be between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. In Independence, conferences without appointment are allowed before and after the 9:30 a.m. Monday docket and before and after the 1:30 p.m. Thursday docket.
Appointments are encouraged to confirm that a judicial officer is available.
While appointments are not necessary, to confirm that a judicial officer is available, appointments are encouraged.
- Contact
- Phone
Telephone conferences with a judicial officer are encouraged.
Telephone calls to the Judge, Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner are encouraged.
- Contact
- Phone
The Court will participate in a conference call involving two or more attorneys when requested.
The Court will participate in conference calls involving two or more attorneys if requested.
- Contact
- Phone
Telephone conference calls should be scheduled in advance.
These conference calls should be scheduled in advance.
- Contact
- Phone
- Phone
- Judge: Kansas City (816) 881-3759, Independence (816) 881-1732; Commissioner: Kansas City (816) 881-3761, Independence (816) 881-1732; Deputy Commissioner: Kansas City (816) 881-3753, Independence (816) 881-1732
Telephone numbers are provided for the Judge, Commissioner, and Deputy Commissioner in Kansas City and Independence.
Judge: Kansas City (816) 881-3759 Independence (816) 881-1732 Commissioner: Kansas City (816) 881-3761 Independence (816) 881-1732 Deputy Commissioner: Kansas City (816) 881-3753 Independence (816) 881-1732
The Court will address the underlying request when it determines that a motion requires immediate attention.
If the Court determines that the motion requires immediate attention, then the Court will address the underlying request.
- Contact
Counsel may notify the Division 8 Law Clerk, preferably by email, when a ripe motion has not been ruled upon.
If a motion is ripe, but has not been ruled upon, counsel may bring that to the attention of the Division 8 Law clerk, preferably via e-mail.
Questions about the Division 8 trial and courtroom decorum guidelines should be directed to the Law Clerk.
Any questions regarding these guidelines should be directed to the Law Clerk.
- Contact
Counsel may notify the Division 8 Law Clerk by email when a ripe motion has not yet been ruled upon.
If a motion is ripe, but has not been ruled upon, counsel may bring that to the attention of the Division 8 Law Clerk, preferably via e-mail.
The Division 8 Law Clerk may be contacted to arrange courtroom equipment setup or answer questions about pretrial matters.
Please contact the Division 8 Law Clerk to arrange a time to set up any equipment in the courtroom or if you have any other questions regarding pre-trial matters.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
Division 13 permits email contact for scheduling matters.
Division 13 often uses e-mail for scheduling matters.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Emailing the Law Clerk for scheduling is permitted.
You are welcome to use e-mail to contact the Law Clerk for scheduling.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
E-mail may be used to contact the Law Clerk for scheduling matters.
Division 13 often uses e-mail for scheduling matters. You are welcome to use e-mail to contact the Law Clerk for scheduling.
The Law Clerk must be contacted to arrange courtroom equipment or answer questions about pretrial matters.
Please contact the Division 13 Law Clerk to arrange a time to set up any equipment in the courtroom or if you have any other questions regarding pre-trial matters.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
The Division 5 judge's chambers may be contacted by email at Div5.cir16@courts.mo.gov.
Division E-Mail: Div5.cir16@courts.mo.gov
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
- Phone
- (816) 881-4405
The Division 5 judge's chambers may be contacted by phone at (816) 881-4405 or by fax at (816) 881-4692.
Phone: (816) 881-4405 Fax: (816) 881-4692
Chambers contact hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Business Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
Questions may be submitted to the listed Division 5 staff members by phone or email.
Please call or email with any questions.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
- Phone
- (816) 881-4486
Division 5 staff contact information is provided for Paul Angles and Laura Iosua.
Paul Angles Division 5, Law Clerk Phone: (816) 881-4486 E-mail: Paul.Angles@courts.mo.gov Laura Iosua Division 5, Judicial Administrative Assistant Phone: (816) 881-4405 Email: laura.iosua@courts.mo.gov
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Division 9 permits email contact for scheduling matters.
Division 9 often uses e-mail for scheduling matters.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Email may be used to contact the law clerk or judicial administrative assistant for scheduling matters.
You are welcome to use e-mail to contact either the law clerk or the judicial administrative assistant (JAA) for scheduling. The law clerk handles civil and domestic matters while the JAA handles criminal matters.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
Email to the Division 9 forwarding address is automatically sent to both the law clerk and JAA, so separate copies are unnecessary.
Please note the Div9.cir16@courts.mo.gov is automatically forwarded to both the sitting law clerk and the JAA. If you e-mail this address, you do not need to also copy the individual law clerk or JAA.
Participants may contact the court with questions or concerns.
Contact the court with any questions or concerns.
Participants may contact the court’s staff through the information on the court website for questions about a division’s policies and procedures.
Contact the court’s staff with any questions regarding any particular Division’s policies and procedures. Their contact information is on the court’s webpage.
- Contact
- Email to clerk
The preferred method of providing hearing exhibits is to email scanned copies to the civil or criminal clerk.
The best way to do this is to provide scanned copies via e-mail to the civil or criminal clerk.
- Contact
- Phone
- Phone
- 816-881-3609
Participants may call the Division at 816-881-3609 with issues or questions about providing hearing exhibits by email.
Contact the Division at 816-881-3609 if you have any issues or questions.
- Contact
- Email to chambers
An attorney formally entered on the case need not email or call the Division to report being in the virtual lobby because staff can see waiting parties.
If you're an attorney who is FORMALLY entered on the case, you DO NOT need to email or call the Division to alert the staff that you are in the virtual lobby, as the staff can see all parties that are waiting in the virtual lobby.
- Contact
- Phone to chambers
- Phone
- 816-881-3607
Questions may be directed to Division 7 by phone at 816-881-3607 or by email at div7.cir16@courts.mo.gov.
Please contact Division 7 at 816-881-3607 or div7.cir16@courts.mo.gov if you have any questions.
Contact law clerk Madison Hyatt about issues involving domestic and civil cases.
For issues related to domestic and civil cases contact law clerk Madison Hyatt.
Contact the Judicial Administrative Assistant about criminal-case issues and all other Division 10 communications.
For issues related to criminal cases and all other Division 10 communication contact JAA .
- Contact
- Phone
- Phone
- (816) 881-3606
For questions about criminal and probation cases, contact Mary Little by phone at (816) 881-3606 or by email at mary.little@courts.mo.gov.
For questions regarding criminal cases, including probation cases, contact: Mary Little, JAA, (816) 881-3606 mary.little@courts.mo.gov
- Contact
- Phone
- Phone
- (816) 881-3677
For questions about civil and domestic cases, contact Corey Myers by phone at (816) 881-3677 or by email at corey.myers@courts.mo.gov.
For questions regarding civil and domestic cases contact: Corey Myers, Law Clerk, (816) 881-3677 corey.myers@courts.mo.gov
Pretrial conferences are permitted before trial if the division is contacted.
Pretrial conferences may be set prior to trial by contacting the division.
The division should be contacted to arrange a time to set up or test courtroom audio-video equipment.
Please contact the division to arrange a time to set up and/or test audio-video equipment in the courtroom.
How may parties contact Jackson County Circuit Court?
The rule addresses email communications with the court. After settlement before trial, notice must be provided as soon as possible to Division 13 and the Law Clerk by email.
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Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
When and how to deliver courtesy copies to chambers, including triggers, timing, and formatting.
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing requirements, permitted filing channels, EFSP portals, and exceptions.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Filing cutoffs, deemed-filed rules, rejection handling, cure periods, and outage procedures.