St. Louis County Probate Court Records

St. Louis County probate court records are maintained by the Circuit Court's Probate Division in Clayton, Missouri, the county seat. This page explains how to search for estate filings, guardianship cases, conservatorship proceedings, and related probate documents through Missouri's online court portal or at the 21st Judicial Circuit courthouse on Carondelet Avenue. Note that St. Louis County is a separate jurisdiction from the independent City of St. Louis, which is governed by its own 22nd Circuit.

St. Louis County Circuit Court Probate Division

The St. Louis County Circuit Court serves as the 21st Judicial Circuit and handles all probate matters for the county. The courthouse is in Clayton at 7900 Carondelet Avenue. The probate division handles estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and will filings for one of Missouri's most populous counties. Because of the volume of cases, it is advisable to call ahead or use Case.net before visiting in person. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and provide copies of documents on file.

St. Louis County has been a distinct jurisdiction from the City of St. Louis since 1876, when the city separated from the county under Missouri's Scheme of Separation. Before 1876, the county and city were one jurisdiction. For records predating 1876, you may need to check both the St. Louis County and City of St. Louis archives, since the two were not yet separate. The Missouri State Archives holds St. Louis County probate records from 1804 to 1876 in its digitization project, making some of those early records searchable online.

The Missouri Courts website at courts.mo.gov provides contact information for all Missouri circuit courts and links to the Case.net portal. For questions about St. Louis County probate filings specifically, contact the probate division at (314) 615-8029 during business hours.

How to Search St. Louis County Probate Court Records

Two main options exist for accessing St. Louis County probate records: the free Case.net online portal and an in-person visit to the Clayton courthouse. Given the size of St. Louis County, Case.net is especially useful for narrowing down records before making the trip.

Case.net is available at courts.mo.gov/casenet. The system holds over 45 million Missouri court records, and for probate cases, full document access begins with cases filed on or after July 12, 2004. To search, enter the name in the format "LAST, FIRST MIDDLE INITIAL" exactly as it appears on court filings. The search is literal. Entering the name backwards returns zero results. Filter by St. Louis County to narrow results, which is particularly important in a county of this size where common surnames may return dozens of matches. Case.net displays case parties, docket entries, judgments, and scheduled hearing dates, but not the full text of filed documents.

Since July 1, 2023, public access to court documents has expanded significantly. Documents filed on or after that date can be viewed, downloaded, and printed from personal devices through Case.net. Older records remain available only at courthouse terminals in Clayton. For those older files, a courthouse visit is required. Bring a valid photo ID and the name of the party or a case number.

The OSCA Help Desk at (888) 541-4894 is available weekdays, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST, for Case.net technical help. Sealed, expunged, juvenile, and mental health records are not accessible through Case.net or at the public counter.

Types of Probate Cases in St. Louis County

The St. Louis County Circuit Court's probate division handles several categories of cases. As one of Missouri's largest courts by volume, the probate division processes a high number of filings each year, with each generating records accessible through Case.net or at the courthouse.

Estate administration is the most common type of probate case. When someone dies with assets in their name, those assets may need to pass through the court to reach heirs or beneficiaries. If the decedent had a will, it must be filed with the court. A personal representative is appointed to manage and close the estate. Missouri law under Chapter 473 RSMo governs this process, including creditor notice requirements and the six-month claim period before distribution can occur.

Guardianship and conservatorship cases are a significant part of the probate division's workload. Guardianship gives one person legal authority over another person's care and personal decisions. Conservatorship covers financial decisions for someone who cannot manage their own affairs. Both types can apply to minors or to adults who are incapacitated. Under Chapter 475 RSMo, the court must appoint an attorney to represent any adult respondent in these proceedings. Annual reports must be filed to keep active cases in good standing.

Will contests and fraud cases also fall within the probate division's jurisdiction. Under Section 472.013 RSMo, a person who discovers fraud in a probate proceeding has two years from discovery to file a claim, with a maximum of ten years from the date the fraud occurred.

Missouri Courts Online Portal for St. Louis County Probate Records

The official Missouri Courts website at courts.mo.gov is the primary online resource for St. Louis County probate court records.

Through this portal you can reach Case.net and find contact details for all Missouri circuit courts, including the St. Louis County Probate Division in Clayton. The site also provides guidance on court procedures, public records access, and e-filing options.

The Missouri Revised Statutes are available at revisor.mo.gov. You can look up specific code sections covering estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, and public access rules that apply in St. Louis County.

Both resources are free to use and require no registration.

Fees for St. Louis County Probate Court Records

St. Louis County follows Missouri's standard fee schedule for probate filings and document copies. Full estate administration petitions cost approximately $155.50. Estates qualifying for simplified small estate procedures pay around $65.50 to $75.00 to file.

Standard document copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost more. Call the probate division at (314) 615-8029 before your visit to confirm the current certified copy rate if you need certified documents for use in another legal proceeding. Fees can change, so checking ahead is worthwhile.

Personal representative compensation in Missouri is set by statute under Section 473.153 RSMo. The allowed rate is 5% of the first $5,000, 4% of the next $20,000, 3% of the next $75,000, 2.75% of the next $300,000, 2.5% of the next $600,000, and 2% of any amount over $1 million. Given the high asset values common in St. Louis County estates, this statutory schedule is particularly important to understand.

Estates under $15,000 do not require publication. Estates from $15,000 up to the $40,000 small estate threshold require publication even under simplified procedures per Section 473.097 RSMo.

Missouri Probate Laws Affecting St. Louis County Cases

Missouri's probate code covers four main chapters of the Revised Statutes. Every probate case filed in St. Louis County is governed by these chapters, which set the rules for creating, maintaining, and providing public access to court records.

Chapter 472 RSMo covers general probate provisions. It defines key terms, sets court jurisdiction, and addresses records management. Section 472.280 allows records to be kept electronically. Section 472.013 establishes the two-year discovery rule for fraud proceedings.

Chapter 473 RSMo governs estate administration. Personal representatives must file annual accounts on the anniversary of their appointment. Final settlement must occur within six months and ten days after first publication of the creditor notice. The six-month creditor claim period applies uniformly across Missouri, including in St. Louis County.

Chapter 474 RSMo covers intestate succession for cases where no valid will exists. Property passes to spouses and children first, then to more distant relatives in the order the statute provides.

Chapter 475 RSMo governs guardianship and conservatorship cases. Estates of $40,000 or less may qualify for the small estate process under Section 473.097 RSMo, which can be filed 30 days after the person's death and is considerably faster than full probate administration.

Public Access to St. Louis County Probate Records

Missouri Court Operating Rule 2.02 establishes that all court records are presumed open to the public for inspection or copying. St. Louis County probate records are public records. No party status is required, and no explanation is needed to request access.

Some records are excluded. Sealed cases, expunged records, juvenile files, and mental health cases are not publicly available through Case.net or at the courthouse counter, regardless of county. For open records, filers must remove certain personal details before submission. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, dates of birth, and names of minors must be redacted by the person filing the document, not by the court. Courts do not check filings for redaction compliance and will accept documents as submitted.

Since July 1, 2023, remote access has expanded significantly. Documents filed on or after that date can be viewed and downloaded from personal devices through Case.net. Older documents remain available only at courthouse terminals in Clayton. For older records, a visit to the St. Louis County courthouse is required.

Historical St. Louis County Probate Records and State Archives

St. Louis County as a separate jurisdiction dates from 1876, when the City of St. Louis separated from the county. Before 1876, the county and city were one jurisdiction. The Missouri State Archives has undertaken a significant digitization project covering St. Louis County Probate Court records from 1804 to 1876. Over 2 million images of case documents are available online through this project, searchable by name and year. The Archives is at 600 W. Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101, reachable at (573) 751-3280 or at sos.mo.gov/archives.

For records from 1876 through the present, Case.net (for post-2004 filings) and the Clayton courthouse are the primary access points. The Archives research room in Jefferson City is open to the public and contains microfilm, land records, military records, censuses, and court records from all 114 Missouri counties. Missouri Digital Heritage at sos.mo.gov/mdh provides online access to some digitized collections from St. Louis County.

Legal Help for Probate in St. Louis County

Probate can be complex. St. Louis County estates may involve substantial assets, real property, and multiple beneficiaries, which can make professional legal guidance especially valuable. Several resources can help you find the right attorney or general information.

The Missouri Bar lawyer search at mobar.org lets you find attorneys by practice area and county. Searching for probate or estate attorneys in St. Louis County will return a list of practitioners familiar with the 21st Judicial Circuit and the Clayton courthouse. The directory is free to use with no registration required.

The Missouri Association of Counties at mocounties.com has general information about county court operations across Missouri. Their resources explain how probate works at the county level and what each stage of the process requires.

For self-help guidance, the Missouri Courts website at courts.mo.gov provides information on court procedures. The OSCA Help Desk at (888) 541-4894 can help with Case.net access issues on weekdays from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST.

Cities in St. Louis County

St. Louis County contains dozens of municipalities. Florissant is the largest city in the county with its own page on this site. All probate cases for St. Louis County residents are filed at the circuit court in Clayton, regardless of which city within the county the decedent or petitioner lived in. Note that the independent City of St. Louis is a separate jurisdiction and is not part of St. Louis County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Louis County in eastern Missouri. Each has its own circuit court and probate division.