Christian County Court Records

A court record is a document created by the court to capture legal proceedings regarding a court case. Court records are essential in the judicial system. Christian County and other Missouri court records serve as an official repository of all case events, ensuring the legal proceedings' transparency and accountability.

The Circuit Court is the primary court in Christian County. It handles both criminal and civil cases. After a hearing in court, the created court record is kept with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Clerk is the custodian of the court records and is responsible for disseminating the documents to the public.

Criminal and civil court records differ in content because of their case types. However, the following information is generally found in a Christian County court record:

• Names of all parties involved
• Attorney information
• A case number
• Case type
• Charges
• Docket entries
• File date
• Disposition type
• Calendar dates

Are Court Records Public in Christian County?

Yes. The Missouri Sunshine Law categorizes court records under Christian County public records, and access to the records is governed by the Missouri Court Operating Rule 2 (COR 2). According to COR 2, certain court records may be restricted from public access under various circumstances. Restrictions are most often applied when the records contain sensitive information or when a court orders its redaction. For instance, a prosecuting attorney may ask the court to redact a criminal court record from the public space temporarily. This request happens if a warrant has been requested for the case or there are concerns regarding the safety of a law enforcement officer. The redaction of the court record typically lasts for five days or until the warrant has been executed, whichever occurs first.

The following court records are generally considered confidential in Christian County:

• Juvenile records
• Sensitive personal information like social security numbers, license numbers, and financial account numbers
• State identification numbers
• Identifying information on victims of domestic violence
• Witness or informant's personal information (name and contact information)

The Clerk of Court may also raise the security level of a court record in line with a local court rule to protect information contained within.

Christian County Court Records Search

Court records can be obtained in Christian County through any of the following means:

• The Christian County Clerk of Circuit Court
• The Missouri Courts Case Search portal
• Online third-party resources

Christian County Courts

The Christian County court system is part of the 38th Judicial Circuit in Missouri. Christian County operates a circuit court that consists of four divisions: Circuit Divisions I and II and Associate Circuit Divisions III and IV. Each division handles different types of cases heard in the county. Circuit Divisions I and II handle the more serious criminal and civil cases, while Associate Divisions III and IV handle the lesser gravity cases. Below are the addresses of the two courthouses in Christian County:

Christian County Circuit Court Building
102 West Walnut Street
Ozark, MO 65721

Christian County Justice Center
110 West Elm Street
Ozark, MO 65721

Christian County Criminal Records

Christian County criminal records are official documents maintained by the county's law enforcement agencies that detail an individual's criminal history. The content of a criminal record generally includes arrest records, charges, and convictions.

Individuals can obtain a Christian County arrest record at the Sheriff's Office in person, online by completing the Records Request Form, or via mail. Mail-in requests should be made in writing and are to be forwarded to:

Attn: Records
110 W. Elm St., Rm 70
Ozark, MO 65721

A record request costs a processing fee of $3. The requester will be informed when the record is ready. It can be picked up in person or received via mail. Individuals who want to receive the record by mail should include a self-addressed, stamped envelope in their mail-in request. Arrest information on inmates in the county may also be found on the Sheriff's Current Inmates page.

A comprehensive criminal record can be acquired from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The department's Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS) is the custodian of the state's criminal records. There are two options for requesting a Christian County criminal record.

• A Personal Identifier/Name-Based Search: Inquirers can perform a name-based search for a possible match on the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) Name Search portal. Each name-based search conducted costs $15. Only open criminal records are accessible via a name-based search. The open records include conviction records, arrest records not older than 30 days, and charges filed by a prosecutor awaiting the court's final disposition. It also contains any Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS) record during a probation period.
• A Fingerprint-Based Search: Applicants conducting a fingerprint criminal record search need to submit a completed fingerprint card (FD-258). Missouri residents can submit their fingerprint cards through the state fingerprint services vendor, which automatically transfers the fingerprints for processing. Applicants will need to schedule an appointment with the vendor through the MACHS Fingerprint Search portal to have their fingerprints captured. Applicants out of the state may contact a local law enforcement agency to capture their fingerprints. The fingerprint card should be mailed to the following address:
• Missouri State Highway Patrol
  CJIS Division
  Post Office Box 9500
  Jefferson City, MO 65102-9500

Fingerprint-based criminal record checks cost $31.5 and typically take between seven to ten working days to process. The fee is reduced to $25.5 for foster care and conceal-carry weapon endorsements. The requester may request the notarization of the record by the CJIS for an additional $5. The resulting criminal record is mailed to the requesting party's address. Fingerprint-based search results are deemed positive matches and contain both open and closed criminal records. Disclosable closed records include all arrest records, charges, SIS records after completion of the probation period, and expunged/closed records.

Get Christian County Civil Court Records

A civil court record contains information about a civil case tried in court. Civil cases are non-criminal in nature and are usually disputes between two parties. Landlord-tenant issues, property claims, and family law matters are some examples of civil cases.

An individual can visit the Circuit Clerk of Court's office to request a Christian County civil record. A case number or name is required to search for a record. Once the desired civil court record is found, the Clerk may request a fee to make a copy of the record.

The Missouri Courts case search portal can be used to gain electronic access to non-confidential Christian County civil court records. A litigant name, filing date, case number, scheduled hearing, or judgment index search can be performed on the portal.

Adult and child protection order cases can only be searched by entering the exact case number until a full order of protection has been issued.

Christian County Marriage Records

The Christian County Recorder of Deeds Office is the official custodian of the county's marriage records. The office is also responsible for issuing marriage licenses to couples who want to marry in the county. A marriage license acquired from the Recorder of Deeds Office is essential to get married in Christian County. Parties who have successfully obtained a marriage license must perform the wedding ceremony in the county within 30 days of the license issuance. The couple is required to return the license to the Register of Deeds no later than 15 days after the wedding ceremony for recording. The couple may thereafter request their Christian County marriage certificate from the Register of Deeds. The Register of Deeds Office is located at:

100 W. Church Room 104
Ozark, MO 65721-0358
Phone: (417) 582-4360
Email: recorder@christiancountymo.gov

The fee to receive a Christian County marriage license is $55, payable in cash only. This fee includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate. Subsequent copies can be obtained for $9 each.

Christian County Divorce Records

A divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. A divorce is a civil case and is handled by the Associate Circuit Division III Christian County Circuit Court. Divorce records can be accessed through the Missouri Court case search portal or obtained at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office. Parties divorced in the county who want to obtain their Christian County divorce certificate may visit the Circuit Court clerk in person to make the request. Obtaining the divorce certificate may cost the requesters a fee.

Christian County Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records in Christian County are maintained by the county's Department of Health. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records constitute Christian County vital records. Keeping a record of births and deaths can be useful when conducting demographic-related analysis.

Per Chapter 193 of Missouri's Revised Statutes, birth and death records in Missouri are not accessible to the general public. Christian County birth certificates will only be issued to the following parties:

• The party of the record
• A child's parent or legal guardian
• A step-parent
• Immediate family members of the record's subject
• An Individual legally authorized by the state

A Christian County death certificate can be obtained by a descendent's relative or a third party in legal need of the record. Non-relatives in need of the record may have to fill out additional paperwork to receive the certificate.

Acquiring a birth certificate costs $15 per copy, while a death certificate costs $14 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy requested simultaneously.

Individuals may request a birth or death record in person during weekdays at the Department of Health's address:

301 Brick Street
Ozark, MO 65721

The requester may need to provide a valid means of identification to obtain the certificate.

Christian County Probate Court Records

Probate court records are official documents relating to a deceased person's estate distribution. The Christian County Circuit Court Associate Division IV is responsible for probate cases in the county.

The Circuit Clerk of Court can request probate court records in person. Researchers can also search for the probate court record on the Missouri Court case search portal.

Christian County Property Records

Property records comprise information relating to real estate. The Recorder of Deeds Office is Christian County's primary property records custodian. Property records typically contain ownership information, legal property description, liens, deeds, property tax information, and the assessed property value.

The County Assessor is responsible for carrying out assessments on Christian County properties to determine their estimated monetary value. The County Collector collects tax on the county's real estate based on the assessed value of the property.

Interested parties can obtain property records at the Recorder of Deeds Office. Property information on the Recorder of Deeds website may also be accessed through the Record Search portal. New users need to create an account before searching for a property.

Individuals can get tax information on a property using the Collector Office Real Estate Tax Search tool. A property can be searched by parcel number, owner name, or address. A search reveals the property's tax years, base tax amount, amount paid/amount due, and the date paid.

Christian County Court Records Online

Christian County court records can be accessed through third-party online resources. Missouricourtrecords.us is one such resource researchers can utilize to access court records. Third-party vendors are generally a more convenient option when searching for a court record. Depending on the vendor, a fee may be required to obtain a court record.

Although third-party resources bridge the access gap, they may not always have complete or accurate information. They also cannot provide access to confidential court records. Individuals wanting access to such records must visit the Clerk of Circuit Court to obtain the record.