Regulations for Continuing Legal Education - Credit and Exemptions The Missouri Supreme Court approved the following Regulation for Municipal Judge Continuing Education Requirements and Nonlawyer Certification:
Regulation 18.06. Credit and Exemptions
(a) Speaker Credit. (1) Any municipal judge who participates as a speaker at an accredited program or activity and does not receive compensation, other than reasonable expenses, shall receive credit for the following: (A) Actual presentation time, including both initial and repeat presentations; and(B) Actual preparation time up to a maximum of 15 credit hours for each 50 minutes of presentation time (not to include repeat presentations of the same material).(2) The standards set forth in Regulation 18.01 shall determine the number of credit hours to be received for the presentation time, preparation time and research and writing time. The number of credit hours to be received by a municipal judge shall be reported on the affidavit required by Regulation 18.07.1.(b) Exemptions. Any municipal judge who is elected or appointed is exempt from this Rule 18 during the reporting year of the initial election or appointment to the bench. This exemption does not apply to subsequent election or appointment of a municipal judge who has continuously served as a municipal judge.(c) Hardship and Extenuating Circumstances. Any municipal judge for whom compliance with this Rule 18 is unreasonably difficult due to:(1) Military or other governmental service at an isolated place of duty, or(2) Any other good cause, upon a written request setting forth the grounds therefor, shall be granted a waiver or extension of time to comply with this Rule 18. A municipal judge should make the written request at least 60 days prior to the end of the reporting year except in cases when such a deadline is impractical or inappropriate. To qualify for hardship or extenuating circumstances, the municipal judge shall be required to demonstrate the claimed hardship or circumstance directly impairs the ability of the municipal judge to attend and complete sufficient accredited programs.
The committee, as provided by these regulations, shall review and approve or disapprove such requests on an individual basis and without delay. Rejection of any such request shall be reviewed as provided in Rule 18.06.
(d) Carryover Credit Hours. (1) A nonlawyer municipal judge completing more than fifteen credit hours, or a lawyer municipal judge completing more than five credit hours, of accredited programs or activities during one reporting year shall receive credit in the next reporting year for such excess credit hours if the excess credit hours are reported on the municipal judge's affidavit for the reporting year in which they were completed and are designated as hours to be carried forward.(2) Credit hours of programs and activities devoted exclusively to professionalism, legal, or judicial ethics may be included in determining the amount of carryover credit that a municipal judge may report pursuant to Regulation 18.06.5(a). Credit hours in excess of the requirements of Rule 18.05(b) may not be carried forward to satisfy the requirement of Rule 18.05(b) in a subsequent professionalism compliance period.
(e) COVID-19 Extension of Reporting Deadline. As a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the reporting deadline for the 2019- 2020 reporting year for non-lawyer municipal judges is extended until October 31, 2020. Every nonlawyer municipal judge failing to meet the Rule 18 continuing education requirements shall be noti
Mo. R. Gov. Bar Jud., Regulations for Continuing Legal Education - Credit and Exemptions
Approved eff. 8/30/1993. Amended Feb. 3, 1995, eff. 1/1/1996; July 12, 2001, eff. 9/1/2001; amended April 6, 2020, effective 4/6/2020.