Public Testimony about Improving Missouri’s Municipal Courts Invited
A group formed by the Supreme Court of Missouri will hold its first hearing to gain public input into improving Missouri’s municipal court divisions. The hearing will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2015, at the Plaster Student Union on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo.
Members of the public are encouraged to testify about the current practices in Missouri’s municipal court divisions and provide thoughtful suggestions for improving those divisions. Read the court’s press release on the group’s first hearing here.
Written testimony or suggestions also can be submitted to the working group by e-mail to MunicipalWorkGroup@courts.mo.gov, by facsimile to (573) 751-7514 or by regular postal mail to Work Group Comments, Supreme Court of Missouri, PO Box 150, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
The Municipal Division Work Group is charged with reviewing all matters pertaining to the state’s municipal court divisions, with ensuring public input and with making recommendations to improve the municipal court divisions statewide in response to recent events that have raised concerns about the practices in some municipal courts.
The working group filed its interim report with the Supreme Court of Missouri earlier this month and is expected to file its final report by December 1, 2015. Click here to learn more about the Supreme Court’s Municipal Division Work Group.
It is important to note the working group is unable to consider matters pertaining to a particular case or outcome, nor are its members able to offer legal advice about how to proceed in a particular municipal division case. Complaints or concerns that a judge has violated the Code of Judicial Conduct or that a lawyer has violated the rules of professional conduct should be directed to the appropriate authority. Learn more about how to file a complaint and resolution programs available to the public here.
