Search Franklin County Court Records
Franklin County court records are searched first through Missouri Case.net, the statewide court case portal used for Missouri circuit and municipal court records. Official Franklin County materials point users to Case.net for case status, payment, and many public case details. The local Circuit Clerk still matters because the clerk is the Franklin County records custodian for certified copies, copy fee estimates, confidential record access requests, and documents that do not appear as public downloads.
Use a case number when possible. Name searches help when the number is unknown, but party names may overlap across Franklin County, the 20th Judicial Circuit, and statewide results. Check spelling variants, middle initials, former names, and filing dates. For traffic or municipal matters, look at the ticket date because Franklin County Municipal Court directs older and newer tickets through different payment routes.
- Open Missouri Case.net and choose the search mode that fits the information available, such as case number or litigant name.
- Filter to Franklin County or the 20th Judicial Circuit when the search screen allows it.
- Open the result and compare the case number, parties, filing date, case type, court, and status.
- Read docket entries for hearings, motions, judgments, pleas, sentences, payment events, or warrant clues.
- Use the Franklin County Circuit Clerk request form when a plain copy, certified copy, older file, or non-downloadable document is needed.
Franklin County Court Records Search Fields
Case.net search screens can vary by case type, but the research record identifies a few fields that matter for Franklin County searches. A case number is the cleanest route because it points to a single file. A name search is useful, but it should be narrowed by county, date, or case type when the result list is broad. Payment and tracking options appear only when the case type and public status allow them.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Search mode | No | Best option when the Franklin County case number is known. |
| Litigant Name | Search mode | No | Use full last name and first name; test prior names or initials if needed. |
| Filing Date | Date filter | No | Narrows older civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic results. |
| Court / County | Dropdown | Varies | Select Franklin County or a circuit scope when the screen permits. |
| Case Type | Dropdown | No | Used to separate civil, criminal, probate, traffic, family, and municipal records. |
| Track This Case | Action link | No | Available on some public cases for notices or reminders. |
Where Franklin County Court Records Are Kept
The record path depends on the office. The Franklin County Circuit Clerk handles records for cases filed in the Circuit Court, including civil, criminal, domestic, probate, associate circuit, and related court files. The Recorder of Deeds handles marriage licenses, recorded marriage returns, land records, plats, tax liens, and military discharge recordings. The County Clerk handles county Sunshine requests for county administrative records. Sheriff records and jail custody details are separate from court files, even when the same person has a pending court case.
The Franklin County government homepage links the court, clerk, sheriff, recorder, prosecutor, and municipal court offices used for local record work. That split is important in Union because court and county offices are clustered in different buildings near East Main, East Locust, South Church, and Bruns Drive.
The Franklin County source image from the county government homepage shows the central public directory used to reach court and county offices.
That directory is useful because the correct office changes by record type, especially when a court case, marriage record, sheriff report, or county administrative file is being requested.
Franklin County Circuit Court / Circuit Clerk
401 East Main St., Room 100A
Union, MO 63084
(636) 583-7391
Criminal: 636-583-7365
Civil: 636-583-7366
Franklin County Municipal Court
15 South Church St., Room 306
Union, MO 63084
636-584-6286
municipalcourt@franklinmo.gov
Sheriff and Adult Detention Facility
#1 Bruns Drive / 1 Bruns Lane
Union, MO 63084
(636) 583-2560
Detention/Booking: (636) 582-8600
Franklin County Court Records and Court Levels
Franklin County is in Missouri's 20th Judicial Circuit. Missouri trial courts are circuit courts, and the circuit court can include circuit, associate circuit, probate, municipal, juvenile, civil, criminal, domestic, traffic, and small-claims work. That structure means a Franklin County court record is not always held in a single division or search path. A felony case, divorce, estate, rent-and-possession case, protection order, municipal ticket, and small-claims case can all be court records, but they do not all follow the same practical access route.
Case flow: Municipal or associate matter › Circuit Court division › Missouri Court of Appeals › Supreme Court of Missouri when review is available.
| Court or Division | Role in Franklin County | Common Record Types |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | Main trial court in the 20th Judicial Circuit | Felony, civil, family, juvenile, probate, protection order, and appeals from lower matters |
| Associate Circuit Court | Trial-level division for many lower-dollar and preliminary matters | Small claims, landlord-tenant, misdemeanors, traffic, and preliminary criminal events |
| Probate Division | Part of the Circuit Court, not a separate county office | Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, claims, letters, and accountings |
| Municipal Court | Local ordinance and traffic court | Traffic tickets, planning and zoning, health code, building code, and municipal violations |
A focused profile of the county's trial court is available at Franklin County Circuit Court, and local copy procedures are handled through the Franklin County Circuit Clerk.
Types of Franklin County Court Records
Franklin County civil court records can include lawsuits, judgments, contracts, tort claims, name changes, garnishments, rent-and-possession files, small claims, and property disputes. Criminal court records can include felony, misdemeanor, DWI, drug, assault, domestic violence, burglary, stealing, arson, forgery, fraud, and related prosecutions. Domestic and family court records include divorce, paternity, custody, child support, parenting plans, and protection orders.
Probate files include estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, minor settlements, fiduciary letters, inventories, accountings, claims, and closing orders. Traffic and municipal records include traffic citations, building code cases, planning or zoning violations, and health code violations. Juvenile records are different because Missouri law restricts public access to juvenile case files.
The local probate route is the Probate Division of the Circuit Court, while marriage licenses and recorded marriage returns belong to the Recorder of Deeds rather than the court clerk.
What Franklin County Court Records Show
A Franklin County court case record usually starts with identity and tracking fields, then moves into parties, filings, hearings, money, and outcome entries. Criminal and traffic cases add charge and payment details. Probate files add estate or fiduciary terms. Some public documents may be available remotely, but confidential and sealed items are excluded or require approval.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The court's file number, useful for Case.net searches and clerk copy requests. |
| Filing Date | The date the case or document was filed with the court. |
| Parties | Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, decedent, ward, or other parties by case type. |
| Docket Entries | Chronological filings, hearings, motions, continuances, orders, judgments, and payment events. |
| Charges or Claim | Criminal charge, traffic offense, civil claim, probate filing type, or domestic petition. |
| Disposition | The current or final outcome, such as judgment, dismissal, plea, sentence, or closing order. |
- Docket
- A dated list of case events and filings.
- Disposition
- The outcome or current status of a case or charge.
- Certified copy
- A clerk-authenticated copy used for official purposes.
- Redaction
- Removal or masking of protected personal data before public display.
Franklin County Court Records Access Rules
Missouri public access has two layers for Franklin County. Court records follow Missouri judicial record rules and Case.net remote access. County administrative records follow Sunshine Law request procedures through county offices. The Circuit Clerk page notes that confidential case copies may require photo ID and that an application to inspect confidential court records may need judge approval before copies are released.
Key Statutes and Rules:
RSMo 610.011 states Missouri's policy that public governmental records are open unless the law provides otherwise.
RSMo 610.023 sets access procedures for public governmental body records.
RSMo 610.140 governs expungement for eligible Missouri criminal records after court procedure.
RSMo 211.321 limits public access to juvenile court records.
Remote public access expanded for Missouri public case documents in 2023, but that did not make every document public. Protected identifiers, juvenile matters, sealed cases, expunged records, adoption records, and many mental-health related records remain limited or closed.
Franklin County Court Records Fees
The Circuit Clerk record request form is the local fallback when a record cannot be downloaded or when certification is needed. The request asks for the requestor name, phone, mailing address, case number, requested document, filing date, delivery method, and whether copies should be certified. Payment must be received before requests are processed.
The Franklin County Circuit Clerk source image from the Circuit Clerk page shows the local record request and fee details tied to court copies.
Those local fields matter because Case.net can help locate a file, but the clerk request is still the route for certified copies, mailed copies, pickup requests, and confidential-copy review.
| Office | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Clerk | Plain court record copies | $1.00 per page |
| Circuit Clerk | Certification | Additional $1.50 |
| Recorder of Deeds | Real estate recording, first page | $24.00 |
| Recorder of Deeds | Real estate recording, each additional page | $3.00 |
| Recorder of Deeds | Formatting noncompliance fee | $25.00 |
| Marriage License | Cash or credit card | $56.00 cash or $57.55 credit card |
Restricted Franklin County Court Records
Restricted court records are not missing just because they fail to appear in a public online search. Juvenile matters, sealed cases, expunged criminal records, adoption files, many mental-health proceedings, and documents with protected data may be hidden, redacted, or available only after court approval. Franklin County's Circuit Clerk page warns that a photo ID may be needed for confidential-case copies.
Expungement under Missouri law is a court process. A petition is filed in the municipal, associate circuit, or circuit court where the person was charged or found guilty. The petition must identify the case, charge, court, county or municipality, and other required details. Waiting periods and exclusions apply, including limits for dangerous felonies, some sex-offender-registration offenses, intoxication-related traffic offenses, and some commercial driver matters.
Note: If a case is sealed, expunged, or confidential, the local court controls access even when a public index once showed the case.
Franklin County Sheriff and Jail Records
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is separate from the Circuit Clerk. Sheriff records include law-enforcement and detention channels, while the court case file remains with the court. The sheriff's main office number is (636) 583-2560, and Detention/Booking is (636) 582-8600. No official Franklin County Missouri online jail roster was located in the official county source set, so custody checks use detention phone channels, MOVANS, Missouri DOC search after transfer or supervision, and Case.net for court status rather than real-time release.
The Adult Detention Facility is described by the county as a maximum-security facility. The county reported a 2024 daily average of 175 detainees and a single-day high of 230. The jail holds people awaiting court action, serving court-ordered sentences, held for municipalities, or being transported for court and extradition. Family visits use PayTel video or lobby kiosk options, ordinary in-person social visits are no longer allowed, and mail must be sent to the scanning address with Facility ID #5278.
Sheriff records requests may be made by email, fax, phone, mail, or in person through the sheriff's listed records channels. Court-case questions about bond changes, release after court, or what happened at a hearing should go to the court of jurisdiction or Circuit Clerk Criminal Department.
Franklin County Court Warrants and Tickets
No official Franklin County Missouri online active-warrant list was located in the official source set. Warrant checks should start with the right court or agency. Circuit Clerk Criminal Department handles Franklin County court warrants tied to criminal cases, failures to appear, bond changes, and case status. The Sheriff's Office or Detention/Booking can help with custody and sheriff records. Municipal bench warrants or traffic failures to appear may sit with Franklin County Municipal Court or a city municipal division.
The Franklin County Municipal Court source image from the Municipal Court page shows traffic fine and payment guidance for local citations.
Traffic tickets can be more local than a statewide court search suggests. Franklin County Municipal Court was established in 2012, hears cases in the Edward A. Stierberger Memorial Courtroom, and handles traffic, planning and zoning, health code, and building code violations.
| Traffic or Warrant Issue | Local Route |
|---|---|
| Post-June 2022 ticket payment | Missouri courts or Case.net route from the Municipal Court page. |
| Pre-June 2022 ticket payment | nCourt link from the Franklin County Municipal Court page. |
| Not guilty plea | Appear in court, or have an attorney file the plea and entry of appearance. |
| Mandatory appearance | No insurance, driving while cancelled/suspended/revoked, 26+ mph over, and violations involving an accident. |
| Court warrant clue | Check Case.net entries, then call the court or agency before relying on the online record. |
Franklin County Court Marriage and Probate Records
Marriage records are not Circuit Clerk case files. The Franklin County Recorder of Deeds issues marriage licenses, records completed licenses after marriage, and maintains permanent marriage records by party names and date. Applications are accepted 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday except legal holidays. Both parties must usually appear, bring government photo ID, provide Social Security numbers or the Recorder affidavit if no number was issued, and sign original documents.
Divorce records are different. A divorce or dissolution decree is a Circuit Court file, searched through Case.net or requested through the Circuit Clerk with the case number, document name, filing date if known, delivery choice, and certification choice. Probate records also belong to the Circuit Court structure. Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, minor settlements, inventories, accountings, and letters are handled by the Probate Division, with public files searched through Case.net and copies requested from the Circuit Clerk when needed.
RSMo 193.185 requires a Missouri marriage license to be returned and recorded after the ceremony. The Recorder records the completed license and returns it as a keepsake with a certified copy.
Franklin County Court Records History
Franklin County was organized in 1818, and courthouse history gives useful context for why court offices are split across several Union addresses today. The University of Missouri Extension courthouse guide says the county has had four courthouses. Newport served as county seat from organization until 1826. The later 1922 courthouse is tied to architect Norman Howard of the firm Bonsack and Pearce, and modern renovation work on the historic courthouse was completed in 2009 with ADA, electrical, and HVAC updates.
Current record accuracy depends on the source. Case.net may not update immediately after court, and the Franklin County Detention page warns that time-sensitive questions about court action, release, or bond changes should go to the court of jurisdiction. County administrative records, sheriff records, Recorder records, and court records also have separate custodians, so correction requests should be directed to the office that created or maintains the record.
Franklin County Court Records FAQ
Where should a Franklin County court records search start? Start with Missouri Case.net for public court case lookup, then use the Franklin County Circuit Clerk for certified copies, older files, non-downloadable documents, or confidential-record access questions.
Are Franklin County jail records the same as court records? No. Jail custody information comes from Detention/Booking, MOVANS, or DOC channels depending on custody status. Court records show charges, hearings, bond entries, pleas, judgments, and sentence details when public.
Who keeps Franklin County divorce records? Divorce records are Circuit Court files. Search Case.net first, then request certified decree copies from the Circuit Clerk if an official copy is needed.
Who keeps Franklin County marriage records? The Recorder of Deeds handles marriage licenses and recorded marriage returns. Marriage records are not held by the Circuit Clerk as ordinary court case files.
Can Franklin County juvenile records be searched online? Juvenile records are restricted under Missouri law. Public lookup should not be expected for juvenile case files, and access may require legal authority or court approval.
How are Franklin County traffic tickets paid? Franklin County Municipal Court directs pre-June 2022 tickets through nCourt and post-June 2022 tickets through the Missouri courts or Case.net payment route. Some offenses require a court appearance.