St. Louis County Court Records Search, Case.net Lookup and Circuit Clerk Help
Use the correct St. Louis County, Missouri route to search public court cases online, track cases in Missouri Case.net, request certified copies, find probate and family resources, avoid mixing county court records with City of St. Louis cases, separate court files from recorder documents, and know when PACER is needed for federal records.
If you are searching for st louis county court records, choose the task closest to what you need. The correct route depends on whether you need a free case lookup, certified copies, family or probate records, small claims, recorder documents, City of St. Louis records, municipal court information, or federal case files.
Choose one option. The official action card below updates for Case.net, certified copies, family court, probate, small claims, municipal cases, City of St. Louis cases, recorder records, forms and federal cases.
🔎 Free case search — start with Missouri Case.net
Use this for: public Missouri court case search by case number or litigant name when you need St. Louis County case information.
Best route: open Missouri Case.net, search the case, and use the St. Louis County court’s Find My Case guidance if you need to track it.
Before relying on it: use the Circuit Clerk for certified copies, authenticated copies, file questions or legal proof.
St. Louis County Court Records MO Quick Facts Before You Search
St Louis County court records are handled through the St. Louis County Circuit Court, which is the 21st Judicial Circuit of Missouri. The official Circuit Clerk page lists the court address as 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105, with main phone 314-615-8029 and standard office hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For many public case lookups, Missouri directs users to Case.net. The St. Louis County court site also provides a Find My Case page that tells users to go to Case.net, enter the case number or litigant name, and use the “Track This Case” option when needed. That is useful for search and updates, but certified or authenticated copies still come from the Circuit Clerk.
What This St. Louis County Court Records Guide Covers
St. Louis County Court Records Are Not the Same as City of St. Louis Records
This is the first thing users must get right. St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis are separate court systems. St. Louis County cases are handled through the 21st Judicial Circuit in Clayton. City of St. Louis cases are handled through the separate 22nd Judicial Circuit in downtown St. Louis.
If your paperwork says 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, or references St. Louis County Circuit Court, this county guide is the right path. If it references 10 North Tucker Boulevard or the 22nd Judicial Circuit, you likely need City of St. Louis court resources instead.
St. Louis County
21st Judicial Circuit, Clayton, Missouri. Use county court resources and Case.net for county cases.
This articleCity of St. Louis
22nd Judicial Circuit, downtown St. Louis. Separate court, separate location and separate records path.
Different courtFree St. Louis County Court Records Search Through Missouri Case.net
For many public Missouri court cases, the practical online starting point is Missouri Case.net. The St. Louis County court’s own Find My Case page tells users to go to Case.net, enter a case number or litigant name, and use the “Track This Case” feature for desired cases.
Case.net is useful for locating public case information, checking docket activity and following a case. It should not be treated as a replacement for the official court file. The St. Louis County Circuit Clerk remains the office to contact when you need a certified copy, authenticated copy, file review, official status question or record that is not clear online.
Open official Missouri Case.net
Use the current Missouri Courts Case.net address rather than an old bookmark or private background-check site.
Search by case number first when possible
A case number is usually more precise than a party-name search and reduces wrong-person results.
Use litigant-name search carefully
When searching by name, confirm the county, case type, filing year and party details before assuming the result is correct.
Track the case only after verifying it
The county’s guidance explains how to use “Track This Case,” but tracking is helpful only after you confirm the case is the one you actually need.
How to Search St. Louis County Court Records by Case Number or Name
A clean search starts with the best detail you already have. A case number is stronger than a name. A litigant-name search is still useful, but common names, spelling changes, former names and multiple people with similar names can create bad matches.
Best for: exact search when you have a summons, petition, judgment, ticket, notice or attorney document.
Use carefully: helpful when the case number is unknown, but verify county, filing date and case type before relying on a result.
Why it matters: probate, family, criminal, small claims, municipal and civil matters follow different user paths.
Check first: county and city St. Louis records are separate, so the wrong court name can ruin the whole search.
St. Louis County Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate and Small Claims Records
St. Louis County Circuit Court handles several very different kinds of matters. A user searching for “court records” may actually need a probate file, family-court form, small-claims case, criminal docket, municipal matter or domestic-relations filing. The search tool may look similar, but the correct department and next step depend on the case type.
Common St. Louis County case paths
- Civil records: lawsuits, associate civil matters, judgments, landlord-tenant issues and other non-criminal disputes.
- Criminal records: criminal dockets, associate criminal matters and traffic-related court cases.
- Family records: domestic relations, adoption, paternity, juvenile and related family-court matters.
- Probate records: estates, trusts, guardianship, conservatorship and civil-commitment-related probate matters.
- Small claims: simplified money disputes handled through the Small Claims Division.
- Municipal matters: local ordinance and municipal cases may use a separate municipal division path.
Family Court
Use family-court resources when the matter involves adoption, domestic relations, juvenile or related family filings.
Specialized pathProbate Court
Use probate resources for estates, trusts, guardianship, conservatorship and probate forms.
Specialized pathHow to Get Certified or Authenticated St. Louis County Court Records
If you need a court document for legal proof, immigration, licensing, employment, title work, school, another court or government use, do not stop at a Case.net screen. St. Louis County Courts maintains a Circuit Clerk FAQ specifically explaining certified or authenticated copies of information in a court case file.
A certified copy is a clerk-verified copy of a document or record. An authenticated copy may be needed for certain out-of-state or formal uses. The right copy depends on the receiving agency, so ask what they require before paying for the wrong document.
Find the exact case first
Use Case.net or your court paperwork to confirm the case number, parties and case type.
Request the exact document
Ask for a judgment, order, decree, disposition, docket sheet, probate order or other named document rather than saying only “my records.”
Confirm whether certification or authentication is required
The receiving organization should tell you whether a plain copy, certified copy or authenticated copy is needed.
Contact the Circuit Clerk
The official court contact page lists the main Circuit Clerk number as 314-615-8029.
Case.net vs Circuit Clerk vs Recorder: Which One Should You Use?
This page becomes genuinely useful only if it prevents the user from choosing the wrong system. Case.net is for searching many public Missouri court cases. The Circuit Clerk is the official county court office for court-file questions and certified copies. The Recorder of Deeds handles deeds, recorded land documents and similar instruments, not court dockets.
Use for: public case lookup, litigant search, case-number search and tracking many Missouri court cases.
Use for: certified copies, authenticated copies, official file help, case questions and document requests.
Use for: deeds, mortgages, liens, subdivision plats and recorded property-related documents.
Use for: cases filed in the City of St. Louis, which belong to the separate 22nd Judicial Circuit.
St. Louis County Court Records vs Deed Search and Recorder Documents
St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds handles marriage licenses and documents affecting real estate or personal property. Its deed-search resources are useful for recorded deeds, real-estate documents, plats, tax liens and similar instruments, but those are not the same as court case files.
Users commonly mix a foreclosure lawsuit with the deed or lien connected to the property. A foreclosure case is a court record; a deed or mortgage is a recorder document. Those subjects may relate to the same property, but they are searched through different offices.
Court Record
Lawsuit, criminal docket, probate case, family matter, small claim, judgment or court order.
Circuit ClerkRecorder Record
Deed, mortgage, lien, plat, marriage license or recorded property-related instrument.
Recorder of DeedsConfidential, Juvenile and Restricted St. Louis County Court Records
Not every case detail is publicly visible. Family, juvenile, paternity, adoption, protection-order and other sensitive matters can have confidential information or restricted access. Some court forms and court pages specifically reference confidential filings, and certain family-court matters are handled with additional privacy protections.
A missing or limited Case.net result should be handled cautiously. It can mean the record is confidential, sealed, juvenile, filed under another name, newly filed, handled in another court, or not available for broad public display.
Records that may need extra care
- Juvenile cases.
- Adoption matters.
- Paternity cases.
- Protection-order filings.
- Confidential family-court documents.
- Sealed or restricted records.
- Federal cases outside county court systems.
St. Louis County Court Forms and e-Filing Resources
The St. Louis County Courts website provides local forms for cases filed in the 21st Judicial Circuit, including family-court forms, probate forms, associate-civil forms, criminal forms, small-claims forms and e-filing forms. Attorneys filing cases and subsequent documents on all case types are directed to use the court’s e-filing system.
Do not confuse filing a case with searching a case. A user looking up a record needs Case.net or clerk help. A user submitting documents needs forms and e-filing guidance.
All Court Forms
Use the official St. Louis County forms page for local 21st Circuit forms.
Open FormsFamily Court Forms
Use family-court forms for adoption, guardian ad litem, domestic matters and related filings.
Open Family FormseFiling
Use court e-filing resources when electronic filing is required for a case or subsequent documents.
Open eFilingFederal Court Records for St. Louis County Are Searched Separately
Federal court records are separate from St. Louis County court records. If a case was filed in federal district court, federal bankruptcy court or a federal appellate court, use PACER rather than expecting it to appear in county court systems.
St. Louis County Circuit Court civil, criminal, family, probate, small-claims and many local court matters.
Cases filed in the separate City of St. Louis 22nd Judicial Circuit.
Deeds, liens, plats and recorded property documents.
Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy and appellate case records.
Official St. Louis County Court Records Links
Use these official resources for St. Louis County case search, certified copies, circuit clerk contact, family court, probate, small claims, recorder documents, City of St. Louis clarification, forms and federal records.
St. Louis County Courts
Main official website for the 21st Judicial Circuit and court departments.
Open County CourtsCircuit Clerk
Official Circuit Clerk page for office details, fees, FAQs and clerk services.
Open Circuit ClerkMissouri Case.net
Official Missouri court case-search portal for many public cases.
Open Case.netFind My Case
Official St. Louis County instructions for finding and tracking a case in Case.net.
Open Find My CaseCertified Copy FAQ
Official guidance for certified or authenticated copies of court case information.
Open Copy FAQProbate Court
Official probate court resources, contact information, forms and probate division details.
Open Probate CourtFamily Court Forms
Official family-court forms approved for use in the 21st Judicial Circuit.
Open Family FormsRecorder of Deeds
Use this for deeds, liens, recorded instruments and related recorder services, not court dockets.
Open RecorderPACER
Federal court-record search for federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy and appellate cases.
Open PACERMap for St. Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton, Missouri
The official St. Louis County Courts site lists the main court address as 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105. Use the map below for general navigation, but confirm the department before visiting because probate, family, criminal, municipal and clerk functions can have different needs.
St. Louis County Circuit Court
105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105
St. Louis County Court Records MO FAQs
How do I search St. Louis County court records online for free?
Start with official Missouri Case.net. Search by case number or litigant name, then verify the case belongs to St. Louis County before relying on the result.
What is the official St. Louis County court records website?
The official local court website is St. Louis County Courts, the 21st Judicial Circuit. For many public case searches, the county court directs users to Missouri Case.net.
Is St. Louis County the same as the City of St. Louis for court records?
No. St. Louis County uses the 21st Judicial Circuit in Clayton. The City of St. Louis uses the separate 22nd Judicial Circuit in downtown St. Louis.
How do I get a certified copy of a St. Louis County court record?
Contact the St. Louis County Circuit Clerk and request the exact document you need. The court also provides a FAQ about certified or authenticated copies of information in a court case file.
Can I search St. Louis County cases by name?
Yes. Case.net supports litigant-name searching, but a case-number search is more precise when available. Always verify county, case type and filing details.
Where do I find St. Louis County probate records?
Start with Case.net for searchable public case information, then use the official St. Louis County Probate Court page for probate resources, forms and department information.
Where do I find St. Louis County family court records?
Family-court matters may be searchable in public systems when allowed, but many family and juvenile documents can be confidential. Use official family-court resources and the Circuit Clerk when records are sensitive or copies are needed.
Are St. Louis County juvenile records public?
Juvenile and certain family-court matters can involve confidential information or restricted access. Public visibility may be limited even when a case exists.
What is the difference between Case.net and the Circuit Clerk?
Case.net is a public search tool. The Circuit Clerk is the official local court office that handles court-file questions, certified copies and authenticated copies.
Are deeds and court records the same in St. Louis County?
No. Court cases are handled through court systems and the Circuit Clerk. Deeds, liens and recorded property documents are handled by the Recorder of Deeds.
Where do I search federal court records for St. Louis County?
Use PACER for federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy and appellate court records. Federal cases are separate from county court records.
Why can’t I find a St. Louis County court case online?
The case may be confidential, sealed, juvenile, filed under another name, in the City of St. Louis, in a municipal division, too new, or federal rather than county-level.
Bottom Line for St. Louis County Court Records Search
For most users, the correct first step is Missouri Case.net for public case lookup, followed by the St. Louis County Circuit Clerk when certified copies, authenticated copies or official file help are needed. That simple flow is more reliable than using random people-search websites or assuming every “St. Louis” record belongs to the same court.
The biggest mistakes are easy to avoid: St. Louis County is not the same as the City of St. Louis, court cases are not the same as deeds, and federal cases do not belong in county systems. Use the correct path from the beginning and the search becomes much faster and less confusing.