Media Contact
The public information officer coordinates community relations, media relations, and external and internal communications.
For more information about the St. Louis County Circuit Court please contact
Christine Bertelson
Public Information Officer
Christine.Bertelson@courts.mo.gov
314-615-2643
Cameras and Electronic Devices in the Courtroom
The use of cameras, cell phones and any other electronic devices in the courtroom to make photographs, video or audio recordings is strictly prohibited unless expressly approved by the judge in advance.
News media may request a live video camera in the courtroom, subject to the terms of Missouri Supreme Court Operating Rule 16, which can be found here. If your news organization would like to request a camera in the courtroom, please e-mail the Public Information Officer, Christine.Bertelson@courts.mo.gov at least five days before the requested hearing or trial. If approved, your request will be fulfilled by the Media Coordinator for the 21st Circuit, Bill McCormac at KMOV Channel 4, at 314-621-4444.
1. By order of March 21, 2018, this Court adopted new subdivisions 16.02, 16.03, and 16.04 of Court Operating Rule 16 to be effective July 1, 2018. The order is included in the April 10, 2018, advance sheets of the South Western Reporter, Third, Missouri Cases series, beginning at Page Ct.R-1. The Court hereby corrects the order so that as corrected, effective July 1, 2018, subdivisions 16.02(a) and (b); subdivisions 16.03(c), (d), and (e); and subdivisions 16.04(a), (f), (g), and (h) of Court Operating Rule 16 shall read as follows:
(b) Prohibitions on Media Coverage. Media coverage is prohibited of any:
(c) Any media making a request to a media coordinator for media coverage of a judicial proceeding shall include the name of the person seeking such coverage; the affiliated entity, if any; and the media equipment to be used. The media coordinator shall provide this information to the judge, as to all media granted access to media coverage under this operating rule, as soon as practicable before a judicial proceeding is scheduled to begin.
(d) Objections. Upon the objection of a party or a participant or on a judge's own motion, a judge may prohibit any or all media coverage of a participant in a judicial proceeding or any or all of the participant's testimony.
(e) Media Hearing. A judge may hold a hearing concerning applications or plans for media coverage. During the hearing, the judge may hear any objections to media coverage and set terms and conditions of media coverage.
COURT OPERATING RULE 16.04 TECHNICAL
(f) Personal Audio Devices. Notwithstanding other provisions of this operating rule, the judge may permit the media to use inconspicuous personal recording devices to make audio recordings solely as personal notes of the proceeding. Media proposing to use a personal recording device must make timely application to the media coordinator and obtain advance permission from the judge. Any such audio recording may not be used for any other purpose, and if the device used is capable of making other types of recordings or producing other content, no such recordings may be made without express permission of the judge.
(g) Use of Devices. No person may use any device capable of media coverage in a courtroom or court clerk's office unless specifically authorized under the provisions of this operating rule, under the provisions of a local court rule, or by a judge in a judicial proceeding. A judge may authorize media to use electronic devices solely for textual note-taking and writing if they are configured to operate quietly and in such a manner as to avoid undue distractions.
(h) Decorum. All media personnel shall dress in suitable business attire consistent with that worn by others in the courtroom, such as lawyers, court reporters, bailiffs, clerks; shall not assume any body position inappropriate for spectators; and otherwise shall maintain proper courtroom decorum at all times while covering a judicial proceeding.
2. It is ordered that notice of this order be published in the Journal of The Missouri Bar.
3. It is ordered that this order be published in the South Western Reporter.
4. The state courts administrator shall provide copies of this order to the chief judge and clerk of every district of the court of appeals, every presiding circuit court judge, every circuit clerk, and such other persons as the administrator deems appropriate.
Copies of Court Documents
Public computer terminals are available for use by the press in the St. Louis County Records Department located on the Street Level and the 1st Floor of the courthouse building at 105 S. Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105. These terminals can be used during normal courthouse hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to search CaseNet for public records that do not contain confidential material. Paternity, juvenile, abuse and some criminal cases are confidential.
News media seeking hard copies of public records should request them from the clerk on duty in the Records Department on the Street Level. Copies are 30 cents per page; for certified copies there is an additional charge of $1.50 per request. By state law, probate documents are $1 per copy. Copy requests will be filled in the order in which they are received. Every effort will be made to accommodate reporters working on deadline.
Screens shots of public documents on CaseNet will be permitted.
For more information about the St. Louis County Circuit Court please contact:
Christine Bertelson
St. Louis County Court
105 S. Central Avenue
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: 314-615-2643
email: Christine.Bertelson@courts.mo.gov