st. louis circuit court media guide
TRANSCRIPT
Media GuideA Brief History
Prior to 1930, St. Louis Circuit Court was located at what is now the Old Courthouse. It consisted of 13 courtrooms and, at a time when commercial entertainment was sparse, it was a popular public gathering place for debates, speeches and court proceedings. The most famous of which was the Dred Scott slavery case of 1850. A St. Louis jury decided in favor of granting Dred Scott his freedom, the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned it and the case became one of the early sparks leading to the Civil War. In 1930 Circuit Court, having outgrown the Old Courthouse, was moved into the new Civil Courts Building at the corner of 12th and Market. It took four years and $4.5 million to build.
Judge Michael Stelzer
Today, the 22nd Judicial Circuit occupies two downtown buildings (the Civil Courts Building and the Carnahan Courthouse, which was built in 1935 as a federal courthouse,) and the Juvenile Detention Center on Vandeventer. Cases in St. Louis City are heard in front of circuit judges, associate circuit judges and commissioners. We have 24 circuit judges, 7 associate judges and 5 commissioners.
Who’s Who
The Circuit Attorney is elected by St. Louis city voters and oversees the prosecution of all adult felony and misdemeanor cases.
The Sheriff is elected by the voters and is responsible for hiring and supervising the deputies who provide courthouse security.
The Circuit Clerk is an elected official and supervises the courtroom clerks and maintains the file rooms where case files are stored.
The operations of Circuit Court are governed by the Court en Banc. The judges collectively make up the Court en Banc and every two years they select one of their colleagues to serve as Presiding Judge, who oversees the daily administrative duties of the courthouse.
Jim Murphy
Jennifer Joyce
Jane Schweitzer
Criminal Cases
Felony cases begin in Division 25. Misdemeanor cases begin in Division 26. Both courtrooms are located on the first floor of the Carnahan Courthouse. Cases typically stay in these divisions for several weeks while bond is set, defense attorneys are assigned and preliminary hearings are held. Once the case has run its course through the associate division, it is transferred to a circuit level judge to be set for trial. Most criminal cases, however, end with the defendant pleading guilty and thus avoiding a trial. St. Louis has a very busy circuit court. We conduct more jury trials than any other jurisdiction in Missouri. For criminal cases that do go to trial, it takes about a year from the time the suspect is arrested until the trial will be held. If found guilty, the sentencing will take another six weeks. That’s because the judge orders what is called a SAR (Sentencing Assessment Report.) This is a report generated by probation officers, which examines a defendant’s criminal history, education, employment and other factors to determine his/her likelihood of re-offending and offers the judge guidelines for appropriate sentencing.
Casenet
Criminal cases can be followed by typing the defendant’s name into Casenet. From the time a defendant’s bond is set until a trial is completed, each step of the process will be documented through Casenet.
Looking at defendant Mario Coleman’s case you will notice that there are two case numbers. 0622-CR06095 associate division case 0622-CR06095-01 circuit level case 06 = the year the case was filed (2006) 22 = the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri (there are 45 circuits. St. Louis City is the 22nd. St. Louis County is the 21st. Jefferson County is the 23rd. St. Charles County is the 11th.) CR = criminal (as opposed to civil) 06095 = the 6,095th criminal case filed so far that year in the 22nd Circuit The top number is the case while it was still in the associate division. If the case number as a -01 after it, that means the case has worked its way through the associate division has been transferred to a circuit level judge to be set for trial or for a circuit judge to accept defendant’s guilty plea. That bottom number is where you will find the case minutes detailing pre-trial motions, jury selection, the trial and the sentencing (or guilty plea if the defendant has chosen to plead.) Most criminal trials in the city last about two days. Jurors are summoned to the courthouse on Mondays and Wednesdays. If a trial starts on a Monday, it will typically finish by Tuesday afternoon. If a trial starts on a Wednesday, it will typically finish by Thursday afternoon. Sentencings usually take place on Fridays. Adult trials are open proceedings. The trial will start with jury selection, when the prosecutor and defense attorney question a large group of potential jurors and decide which 12 (plus alternates) they want sitting on the jury. Once the jury has been selected, the next step is opening statements (prosecution first, defense second—note: the defense is not required to give any opening statement.) Here is where the attorneys lay out for the jury what the case is about and what evidence is going to be presented. The next step is called the evidentiary phase and includes testimony from and examination of witnesses. Once all the testimony has finished and exhibits have been entered, the attorneys conclude their case with closing arguments, the judge reads instructions to the jury, the jury deliberates and reaches a verdict. In criminal cases the verdict must be unanimous (in civil cases a majority.) Jury deliberations are unpredictable. They can last a few minutes, a few hours or even longer.
Judge Angela Quigless
PROBABLE CAUSE STATEMENT DATE: December 14, 2010
I, _____________, a law enforcement officer for the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, knowing that false
statements on this form are punishable by law, state that the facts contained herein are true.
I have probable cause to believe that DAVID EARL JONES, a B M DOB: 12/4/1961 Age: 49,
committed one or more criminal offense(s).
1. CNT: 1 ASSAULT 1st DEGREE (Class B Felony) RSMo 565.050
Date: 11/4/2010 Time: Place: 5022 Robin
The facts supporting this belief are as follows:
I was informed by V.W. that the subject, David Jones, pushed him to the ground, removed a box cutter from his
pocket and stabbed V.W. in the neck, shoulder, head and wrist. V.W. went to St. Louis University Hospital
where his wounds were stitched. I observed a linear scar to V.W.’s neck, ear, left arm and chest that he says
was caused by Jones.
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/statutes.htm
charges filed by the prosecutor. The judge reviews the
probable cause to see if there is sufficient evidence to
merit a case proceeding through the system. If there is
not, the charges are denied. If there is sufficient
evidence, the case moves forward for additional review
by a judge or a grand jury.
Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 558
Imprisonment
Sentence of imprisonment, terms--conditional release.
558.011. 1. The authorized terms of imprisonment, including both prison and conditional release terms, are:
(1) For a class A felony, a term of years not less than ten years and not to exceed thirty years, or life
imprisonment;
(2) For a class B felony, a term of years not less than five years and not to exceed fifteen years;
(3) For a class C felony, a term of years not to exceed seven years;
(4) For a class D felony, a term of years not to exceed four years;
(5) For a class A misdemeanor, a term not to exceed one year;
(6) For a class B misdemeanor, a term not to exceed six months;
(7) For a class C misdemeanor, a term not to exceed fifteen days.
Looking at the Probable Cause Statement and the charge that the Circuit Attorney’s Office has issued and the
Court has authorized, assuming David Earl Jones is found guilty (and is not placed on probation) the harshest
punishment he could receive is 5 to 15 years in the penitentiary.
*The severity of sentence can increase if the defendant is deemed to be a prior and persistent offender.
Students from MICDS spend a day learning how the court system works
The prosecutor (in criminal cases) or plaintiff’s attorney (in civil cases) always sits at the table closest to the jury box. This is the long-standing tradition in American courtrooms since the prosecutor/plaintiff carries the “burden of proof” and must convince the jury to rule against the defendant.
Factoid
Juvenile Court
The rules of media coverage in juvenile court are much more restrictive than in the adult court system. In Missouri, juvenile court has jurisdiction over accused offenders who are 16 and younger at the time of the offense. 920 N. Vandeventer is where the juvenile courtrooms are located, as well as the Juvenile Detention Center. On average about 30 kids are being held in detention each day. Delinquency is not the only issue that juvenile court deals with. Many St. Louis children who come into contact with the Court are not accused of committing a crime. They are victims of abuse and neglect. The Court has authority to remove a child from an abusive home and to place that child into foster care. The Court must also approve all adoptions. The Court supervises abused/neglected children until age 21.
By law, some juvenile proceedings are open to the public and the media, while others are not. Generally cameras and tape recorders are not allowed in juvenile proceedings and juveniles should not be identified in the media, unless they have been charged as an adult. Reporters are welcome to attend open hearings, but be aware that the courtrooms at the Juvenile Center are much smaller than regular courtrooms and arriving early is advised.
Open Class A and Class B felony cases Some Class C felony cases (if the child has 2 or more prior convictions) Certification hearings (certifying the child to stand trial as an adult) Child abuse and neglect proceedings; including termination of parental rights Closed All adoptions If the child is charged with a crime less than Class A or B felony
A mandatory certification hearing occurs for a child of any age when the crime committed is so serious that a judge needs to decide if the child should stand trial as an adult. There are seven crimes that will automatically trigger a certification hearing: -1st degree murder -2nd degree murder -1st degree assault -1st degree robbery -forcible rape -forcible sodomy -distribution of drugs A juvenile will also face a certification hearing if he/she has two or more prior, unrelated felony convictions.
Electronic media coverage in all Missouri courtrooms is regulated under Operating Rule 16. http://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=333 It is important to note that allowing cameras and recorders in the courtroom is up to the discretion of the judge. “Media coverage of a proceeding shall not be permitted if the judge concludes that under the circumstances of the particular proceeding such coverage would materially interfere with the rights of the parties to a fair trial.” If there is a proceeding you are interested in recording contact the Public Information Office.
Cameras in the Courtroom
List of Judges by Seniority Robert Dierker Timothy Wilson David Mason Thomas Frawley Jimmie Edwards Michael David Margaret Neill Thomas Grady John Riley Julian Bush Philip Heagney Dennis Schaumann Joan Moriarty Steven Ohmer David Dowd Mark Neill Lisa Van Amburg Angela T. Quigless Jack Garvey Edward Sweeney Bryan Hettenbach Michael Mullen Robin Vannoy Rex M. Burlison Associate Judges Barbara Peebles Calea Stovall-Reid Michael Stelzer Paula Perkins Bryant Elizabeth Hogan Thomas Clark Theresa Burke Commissioners Anne-Marie Clarke - Family Court Patrick Connaghan - Probate Michael Noble - Drug Court James Sullivan - Drug Court Robert Ward - Probate/Family Court
1986 1989 1991 1991 1992 1992 1993 1994 1995 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2008 2008 2008 2011
2000 2003 2004 2004 2005 2006 2008
Judge David Mason
Judge Joan Moriarty
Judge Julian Bush
Matt Murphy 314.622.5685
Prior to 1930, St. Louis Circuit Court was located at what is now the Old Courthouse. It consisted of 13 courtrooms and, at a time when commercial entertainment was sparse, it was a popular public gathering place for debates, speeches and court proceedings. The most famous of which was the Dred Scott slavery case of 1850. A St. Louis jury decided in favor of granting Dred Scott his freedom, the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned it and the case became one of the early sparks leading to the Civil War. In 1930 Circuit Court, having outgrown the Old Courthouse, was moved into the new Civil Courts Building at the corner of 12th and Market. It took four years and $4.5 million to build.
Judge Michael Stelzer
Today, the 22nd Judicial Circuit occupies two downtown buildings (the Civil Courts Building and the Carnahan Courthouse, which was built in 1935 as a federal courthouse,) and the Juvenile Detention Center on Vandeventer. Cases in St. Louis City are heard in front of circuit judges, associate circuit judges and commissioners. We have 24 circuit judges, 7 associate judges and 5 commissioners.
Who’s Who
The Circuit Attorney is elected by St. Louis city voters and oversees the prosecution of all adult felony and misdemeanor cases.
The Sheriff is elected by the voters and is responsible for hiring and supervising the deputies who provide courthouse security.
The Circuit Clerk is an elected official and supervises the courtroom clerks and maintains the file rooms where case files are stored.
The operations of Circuit Court are governed by the Court en Banc. The judges collectively make up the Court en Banc and every two years they select one of their colleagues to serve as Presiding Judge, who oversees the daily administrative duties of the courthouse.
Jim Murphy
Jennifer Joyce
Jane Schweitzer
Criminal Cases
Felony cases begin in Division 25. Misdemeanor cases begin in Division 26. Both courtrooms are located on the first floor of the Carnahan Courthouse. Cases typically stay in these divisions for several weeks while bond is set, defense attorneys are assigned and preliminary hearings are held. Once the case has run its course through the associate division, it is transferred to a circuit level judge to be set for trial. Most criminal cases, however, end with the defendant pleading guilty and thus avoiding a trial. St. Louis has a very busy circuit court. We conduct more jury trials than any other jurisdiction in Missouri. For criminal cases that do go to trial, it takes about a year from the time the suspect is arrested until the trial will be held. If found guilty, the sentencing will take another six weeks. That’s because the judge orders what is called a SAR (Sentencing Assessment Report.) This is a report generated by probation officers, which examines a defendant’s criminal history, education, employment and other factors to determine his/her likelihood of re-offending and offers the judge guidelines for appropriate sentencing.
Casenet
Criminal cases can be followed by typing the defendant’s name into Casenet. From the time a defendant’s bond is set until a trial is completed, each step of the process will be documented through Casenet.
Looking at defendant Mario Coleman’s case you will notice that there are two case numbers. 0622-CR06095 associate division case 0622-CR06095-01 circuit level case 06 = the year the case was filed (2006) 22 = the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri (there are 45 circuits. St. Louis City is the 22nd. St. Louis County is the 21st. Jefferson County is the 23rd. St. Charles County is the 11th.) CR = criminal (as opposed to civil) 06095 = the 6,095th criminal case filed so far that year in the 22nd Circuit The top number is the case while it was still in the associate division. If the case number as a -01 after it, that means the case has worked its way through the associate division has been transferred to a circuit level judge to be set for trial or for a circuit judge to accept defendant’s guilty plea. That bottom number is where you will find the case minutes detailing pre-trial motions, jury selection, the trial and the sentencing (or guilty plea if the defendant has chosen to plead.) Most criminal trials in the city last about two days. Jurors are summoned to the courthouse on Mondays and Wednesdays. If a trial starts on a Monday, it will typically finish by Tuesday afternoon. If a trial starts on a Wednesday, it will typically finish by Thursday afternoon. Sentencings usually take place on Fridays. Adult trials are open proceedings. The trial will start with jury selection, when the prosecutor and defense attorney question a large group of potential jurors and decide which 12 (plus alternates) they want sitting on the jury. Once the jury has been selected, the next step is opening statements (prosecution first, defense second—note: the defense is not required to give any opening statement.) Here is where the attorneys lay out for the jury what the case is about and what evidence is going to be presented. The next step is called the evidentiary phase and includes testimony from and examination of witnesses. Once all the testimony has finished and exhibits have been entered, the attorneys conclude their case with closing arguments, the judge reads instructions to the jury, the jury deliberates and reaches a verdict. In criminal cases the verdict must be unanimous (in civil cases a majority.) Jury deliberations are unpredictable. They can last a few minutes, a few hours or even longer.
Judge Angela Quigless
PROBABLE CAUSE STATEMENT DATE: December 14, 2010
I, _____________, a law enforcement officer for the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, knowing that false
statements on this form are punishable by law, state that the facts contained herein are true.
I have probable cause to believe that DAVID EARL JONES, a B M DOB: 12/4/1961 Age: 49,
committed one or more criminal offense(s).
1. CNT: 1 ASSAULT 1st DEGREE (Class B Felony) RSMo 565.050
Date: 11/4/2010 Time: Place: 5022 Robin
The facts supporting this belief are as follows:
I was informed by V.W. that the subject, David Jones, pushed him to the ground, removed a box cutter from his
pocket and stabbed V.W. in the neck, shoulder, head and wrist. V.W. went to St. Louis University Hospital
where his wounds were stitched. I observed a linear scar to V.W.’s neck, ear, left arm and chest that he says
was caused by Jones.
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/statutes.htm
charges filed by the prosecutor. The judge reviews the
probable cause to see if there is sufficient evidence to
merit a case proceeding through the system. If there is
not, the charges are denied. If there is sufficient
evidence, the case moves forward for additional review
by a judge or a grand jury.
Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 558
Imprisonment
Sentence of imprisonment, terms--conditional release.
558.011. 1. The authorized terms of imprisonment, including both prison and conditional release terms, are:
(1) For a class A felony, a term of years not less than ten years and not to exceed thirty years, or life
imprisonment;
(2) For a class B felony, a term of years not less than five years and not to exceed fifteen years;
(3) For a class C felony, a term of years not to exceed seven years;
(4) For a class D felony, a term of years not to exceed four years;
(5) For a class A misdemeanor, a term not to exceed one year;
(6) For a class B misdemeanor, a term not to exceed six months;
(7) For a class C misdemeanor, a term not to exceed fifteen days.
Looking at the Probable Cause Statement and the charge that the Circuit Attorney’s Office has issued and the
Court has authorized, assuming David Earl Jones is found guilty (and is not placed on probation) the harshest
punishment he could receive is 5 to 15 years in the penitentiary.
*The severity of sentence can increase if the defendant is deemed to be a prior and persistent offender.
Students from MICDS spend a day learning how the court system works
The prosecutor (in criminal cases) or plaintiff’s attorney (in civil cases) always sits at the table closest to the jury box. This is the long-standing tradition in American courtrooms since the prosecutor/plaintiff carries the “burden of proof” and must convince the jury to rule against the defendant.
Factoid
Juvenile Court
The rules of media coverage in juvenile court are much more restrictive than in the adult court system. In Missouri, juvenile court has jurisdiction over accused offenders who are 16 and younger at the time of the offense. 920 N. Vandeventer is where the juvenile courtrooms are located, as well as the Juvenile Detention Center. On average about 30 kids are being held in detention each day. Delinquency is not the only issue that juvenile court deals with. Many St. Louis children who come into contact with the Court are not accused of committing a crime. They are victims of abuse and neglect. The Court has authority to remove a child from an abusive home and to place that child into foster care. The Court must also approve all adoptions. The Court supervises abused/neglected children until age 21.
By law, some juvenile proceedings are open to the public and the media, while others are not. Generally cameras and tape recorders are not allowed in juvenile proceedings and juveniles should not be identified in the media, unless they have been charged as an adult. Reporters are welcome to attend open hearings, but be aware that the courtrooms at the Juvenile Center are much smaller than regular courtrooms and arriving early is advised.
Open Class A and Class B felony cases Some Class C felony cases (if the child has 2 or more prior convictions) Certification hearings (certifying the child to stand trial as an adult) Child abuse and neglect proceedings; including termination of parental rights Closed All adoptions If the child is charged with a crime less than Class A or B felony
A mandatory certification hearing occurs for a child of any age when the crime committed is so serious that a judge needs to decide if the child should stand trial as an adult. There are seven crimes that will automatically trigger a certification hearing: -1st degree murder -2nd degree murder -1st degree assault -1st degree robbery -forcible rape -forcible sodomy -distribution of drugs A juvenile will also face a certification hearing if he/she has two or more prior, unrelated felony convictions.
Electronic media coverage in all Missouri courtrooms is regulated under Operating Rule 16. http://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=333 It is important to note that allowing cameras and recorders in the courtroom is up to the discretion of the judge. “Media coverage of a proceeding shall not be permitted if the judge concludes that under the circumstances of the particular proceeding such coverage would materially interfere with the rights of the parties to a fair trial.” If there is a proceeding you are interested in recording contact the Public Information Office.
Cameras in the Courtroom
List of Judges by Seniority Robert Dierker Timothy Wilson David Mason Thomas Frawley Jimmie Edwards Michael David Margaret Neill Thomas Grady John Riley Julian Bush Philip Heagney Dennis Schaumann Joan Moriarty Steven Ohmer David Dowd Mark Neill Lisa Van Amburg Angela T. Quigless Jack Garvey Edward Sweeney Bryan Hettenbach Michael Mullen Robin Vannoy Rex M. Burlison Associate Judges Barbara Peebles Calea Stovall-Reid Michael Stelzer Paula Perkins Bryant Elizabeth Hogan Thomas Clark Theresa Burke Commissioners Anne-Marie Clarke - Family Court Patrick Connaghan - Probate Michael Noble - Drug Court James Sullivan - Drug Court Robert Ward - Probate/Family Court
1986 1989 1991 1991 1992 1992 1993 1994 1995 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 2004 2005 2008 2008 2008 2011
2000 2003 2004 2004 2005 2006 2008
Judge David Mason
Judge Joan Moriarty
Judge Julian Bush
Matt Murphy 314.622.5685