Located in the southwest region of Missouri, McDonald County was formed in 1849 and named after Sergeant Alexander McDonald, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. As of the 2020 census, its population was 23,303, and the county seat is Pineville. McDonald County's total area is 540 square miles, with 539 square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water.

Courts in Clark County

The McDonald County court system comprises circuit and municipal courts. The McDonald County Circuit Court is the highest court in the county. It is organized into divisions based on case types: Associate, Family, Criminal, Juvenile, Probate, and Civil Divisions. The Criminal Division handles felonies, while the Associate Division, staffed by associate judges, handles misdemeanors. The Family Division hears domestic relations matters, such as divorces, adoption, legal separation, and maintenance, while the Juvenile Division handles juvenile issues, including child custody, delinquency, truancy, and child protection. The Probate Division handles all probate matters, including admission of wills, determinating heirs, and administering estates. With its simplified procedure, the small claims Division handles civil claims under $3,000, while the Civil Division hears civil cases with more than $3,000 claims.

Six municipal courts in McDonald County hear municipal and traffic violations for their respective municipalities. Municipal courts are in Southwest City, Pineville, Lanagan, Noel, Anderson, and Goodman.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Clark County

A variety of public court records from McDonald County are available to the public, including court proceedings, writs, warrants, filings, and judgments. Per county and state regulations, the McDonald County Circuit Clerk of Court maintains all of the county's public court records. The public can view and obtain copies of these records by contacting the administrative office of the relevant court directly or visiting the Clerk's office at the county courthouse.

Types of Public Court Records in Clark County

The availability of nonconfidential court records allows the public to see the workings of the legal system and also improves their trust in the judicial system. The following types of court records are available to the public in McDonald County unless sealed by court orders:

• Criminal Court Records: includes court proceedings and court judgments for felony and misdemeanor cases
• Family Court Records: includes divorce decrees, maintenance orders, and custody judgments
• Civil Court Records: includes libel, slander, personal injury cases, professional malpractices, product liabilities, breaches of contracts, and trade secrets
• Probate Court Records: includes documentation of wills, estates, and trusts

Confidential Court Records in Clark County

In McDonald County, court documents may be sealed to preserve privacy, sensitive information, or the interests of justice, such as in instances involving juveniles, victims of certain crimes, or secret business information. Confidential court documents differ from publicly available records in that they are inaccessible to the general public and can only be examined by approved individuals or by court orders. While most court documents are publicly available in Missouri, the following are usually excluded from public records:

• Most juvenile delinquency records
• Medical and mental health records
• Adoption records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Certain information about victims of domestic violence
• Certain information about victims of Sexual assault
• Dismissed or Acquitted cases

The following are also concealed from public view in Missouri:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Bank account details
• Tax returns

Juvenile Delinquency in Mcdonald, MO

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Mcdonald 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 187 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Mcdonald County. Of that total, 36% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 68 court cases. Another 34% were dependency cases that accounted for 63 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Mcdonald County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Mcdonald County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of McDonald County, MO

https://www.mo.gov/

County Seat:	Pineville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1849
Total Square Miles:	540
2019 Population:	22,828
Persons/Square Mile:	0.02
County Contact:	PO BOX 665 County Courthouse Pineville , MO 64856-0665 http://www.mcdonaldcountygov.com

Mcdonald County, MO Courts