How to Find and Access Missouri Criminal Records

The Missouri Sunshine Law dictates that all criminal records are available for public use, with certain exceptions. These include all Missouri criminal records related to the criminal history of the offenders, reports of the criminal offenses and consequent arrest reports and statistics related to the crimes committed within the state. It is the responsibility of the criminal justice agencies to collect all information with regard to criminal history and store them in a particular database. The criminal history information includes detailed profiles along with identifications, detention and arrests, criminal charges against the offender, the sentence along with parole or probation (if any) and the date of release.

Criminal Justice Information Services Division of Missouri

It is the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of Missouri that keeps all criminal records of the state in order. They also offer these Missouri criminal records for public use. The criminal history information is stored in a single database that is maintained by the Missouri Criminal Justice Information Services Division. The information is often utilized by the law enforcement agencies; however, it is also available for conducting background checks. There are two ways in which the database can be checked; a search based on the name of the offender, and a search based on fingerprints.

The name-based search or the "Personal Identifier Search" provides all details about a particular offender. For this you need to fill out a Criminal Record Check Form and pay a fee of $9.00. The results would include all ‘open records’; this information comprises all details of convictions, arrest reports that are less than a month old, charges filed by the prosecutor and awaiting final verdict, and ‘suspended imposition of sentence’ records. The necessary form may be obtained from http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/Publications/Forms/documents/SHP-158.pdf or you may request the form from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

You need to complete an applicant fingerprint card (FD-258) in order to request a search based on fingerprints. The fee for a fingerprint-based search is $20.00. However, there are exceptions to this regulation; under Section 571.101 RSMO, the conceal-carry weapons permits, and Section 210.487 RSMO, the foster care placement under the Department of Social Services, are $14.00. These search results include ‘complete or closed records’ that include complete criminal history information (comprising all arrest records), dismissed or not guilty charges that have been decided by any court of law, and ‘suspended imposition of sentence’ after the probation period of the offender has been successfully completed.

The fee for both the name-based and fingerprint-based search is to be paid at the time of the request. You need to pay the fees by check or money order payable to the State of Missouri-Criminal Record System Fund. No cash or credit cards are accepted by the department. If you are not a resident of the USA, you need to pay the charges by money order and in US dollars only. All search requests require at least 3 weeks to be processed, and you need to wait for about a month to get your desired results.

Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Public Window

You can also check MO criminal records from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Public Window. The address is: Annex Building, 1510 East Elm Street, Jefferson City. The service is available throughout the week, i.e. Monday to Friday, from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. However, you cannot utilize this service on state and federal holidays. Each record check takes about 30 minutes and you need to submit a single search and mention the full name, date of birth and the Social Security number of the subject of your search. If the number of searches conducted is 5 or more, electronic or diskette request submission is required.

Missouri FBI Records

A Missouri criminal record search can also be done utilizing the FBI database. The criminal history record search is done on the basis of the fingerprints. However, there needs to be an authorized entity for the search to be conducted. The fee for each applicant is $19.25; however, in case the applicant is a volunteer, the charge is $15.25.

Missouri State Courts Automated Case Management System

The Missouri State Courts Automated Case Management System is also a reliable source of information with regard to Missouri criminal records. The service called "Case.net" gives you information about docket entries, the parties involved in a particular case, the charges filed and the judgments. However there are certain limitations to this service; the information of cases is limited to the courts that have opted for the Missouri Court Automation Program. Moreover you can obtain information only with regard to the cases that are considered to be suitable for public access by the Missouri Revised Statutes.

There are a number of categories that you can utilize to search the Missouri State Courts Automated Case Management System. These are as follows:

Search by litigant name: https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do?searchType=name

Search by case number: https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do?searchType=caseNumber

Search by filing date: https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do?searchType=date

Search by scheduled hearings or trials: https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchCases.do?searchType=calendar

The Case.net service from the Missouri State Courts Automated Case Management System is available on all weekdays, i.e. Monday to Friday, from 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 a.m. You can use this search facility free of cost as well.