Mo. Rev. Stat. § 479.150

Current with changes from the 2023 Legislative Session
Section 479.150 - Trial by jury, certification for assignment - exception, Springfield municipal court, when, procedure, costs
1. In any municipality, whenever a defendant accused of a violation of a municipal ordinance has a right to a trial by jury and demands such trial by jury, except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, the municipal judge shall certify the case for assignment.
2. Any municipality requiring by ordinance that the municipal judge be a licensed attorney and which has a population in excess of one hundred thousand persons which is located in a county of the first class not having a charter form of government and which does not adjoin another first class county may elect by passage of an appropriate municipal ordinance to hear jury cases before the municipal court; provided, such jury cases are heard in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) Cases shall be heard with a record being made as required in jury cases before the associate circuit court and the trial shall be conducted and the jury selected in accordance with procedures applicable before circuit courts;
(2) In any case tried with a jury in a municipal court under provisions of this subsection, appeals may be had upon the record to the appropriate state appellate court, and the record for appeal in such cases shall be prepared in accordance with the same rules prescribed by the supreme court for trials on the record before associate circuit courts;
(3) The costs of equipment or stenographic services for jury trials a municipality should elect to hold under this section shall be paid by the municipality, except where the supreme court has by rule provided for reimbursement by the defendant for the cost of transcription, and any person who requests a jury trial shall be responsible for all costs incurred in the securing of a jury if such person thereafter waives his right to a jury trial;
(4) The failure to request a jury trial while the case is pending before the municipal court shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a jury trial and after such jury trial there shall be no right to a trial de novo in circuit court;
(5) If the municipal judge is disqualified, the rules for appointment of another municipal judge of the city to hear such cases shall apply; provided, however, that in the event there is no other municipal judge qualified to hear the case, the case shall be certified for assignment.

§ 479.150, RSMo

L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1142 & 894, A.L. 2001 S.B. 267