Clay County is located in Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Organized in 1822, the county was named in honor of U.S. Representative, Henry Clay. The county has a population of over 253,000, making it the fifth-most populous county in Missouri.
Courts in Clay County
Clay County has two courts, Circuit Courts and Municipal Courts.
The Circuit Courts all enjoy jurisdiction over nearly any criminal and civil cases. They are normally divided into separate divisions like Family Division, Juvenile, Probate, Small Claims, Associate Circuit, and Traffic Division.
The Family Division has exclusive jurisdiction over cases relating to child custody, juvenile proceedings, adult abuse prevention, adoption, child protection, maintenance as well as annulment.
The Probate Division handles cases relating to determining which heirs exist, probate of wills, guardianship determinations, and the administration of family trusts.
The Small Claims Court breakdown serves as a straightforward process that works for all the general civil claim cases where the value in dispute is lower than $3,000. Lastly, the Associate Circuit Division handles cases relating to misdemeanors and infractions.
Municipal Courts in Clay County handle cases relating to the violation of any standing ordinances on the municipal level.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Clay County
The Office of the Clay County Circuit Clerk is responsible for keeping and providing access to court records in the county. To request court records, interested persons can visit the office in person or fax them to 816-407-3899. Alternatively, Clay County also provides access to public court records online.
Types of Public Court Records in Clay County
The following types of court records are available to the public in Clay County:
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Probate Records
- Traffic Records
Confidential Court Records in Clay County
Confidential Court Records are records that are not publicly accessible due to a statute or other court rule restricting public access. Some of these records are:
- Medical Records
- Adoption Records
- Mental Health Records
- Juvenile Records
Juvenile Delinquency in Clay, MO
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Clay County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Missouri often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 941 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Clay County. Of that total, 55% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 517 court cases. Another 31% were dependency cases that accounted for 294 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Clay County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Clay County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 17,032 |
| Dependency | 4,586 |
| Status | 4,212 |
Government of Clay County, MO
| County Seat: | Liberty |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1822 |
| Total Square Miles: | 409 |
| 2019 Population: | 242,874 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |
| County Contact: | 1 Courthouse Sq
County Courthouse Liberty , MO 64068-2365 https://www.claycountymo.gov/ |
Clay County, MO Courts
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Clay County Circuit Court
Address: 11 South Water Street, Liberty, MO 64068
Phone: 816-407-3988