Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 2, 2026.
St. Joseph, Missouri, in Buchanan County, has about 71,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Buchanan County Circuit Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Circuit Clerk, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files and common questions.
Related guides: St. Joseph public records, Buchanan County court records, St. Joseph arrest records, St. Joseph warrants, St. Joseph inmate search, St. Joseph criminal records, Missouri arrest records and Missouri inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from St. Joseph
Court cases from St. Joseph are filed in the Buchanan County Circuit Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case, with associate circuit judges taking misdemeanors, traffic and small claims.
A city with a municipal divisions of its own tries the tickets written under its ordinances.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court, and the file stays with the Circuit Clerk.
The Circuit Clerk keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Missouri Sunshine Law.
Looking Up a Case from St. Joseph
For Buchanan County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at co.buchanan.mo.us/QuickLinks/Court_Links (page title: Court Links | Buchanan County Missouri), a site that blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), so open it in a browser.
Statewide, Case.net is the Missouri courts' free statewide case search.
The Missouri court page SearchSystems verified is at courts.mo.gov.
What Reaches the Court from St. Joseph
Together, the two agencies in Buchanan County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,307 arrests to the FBI that year; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Buchanan County Circuit Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at co.buchanan.mo.us/prosecuting-attorney (page title: Prosecuting Attorney | Buchanan County, MO), 411 Jules Street, Room 132, Saint Joseph, MO 64501, a site that blocks automated checks (HTTP 403), so open it in a browser.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other St. Joseph guides take the kinds of file one at a time: St. Joseph criminal records, St. Joseph divorce records, St. Joseph traffic tickets, St. Joseph DUI and St. Joseph property records.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in St. Joseph?
Through Case.net, the Missouri courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in St. Joseph?
The Buchanan County Circuit Court, which hears every civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile case, with associate circuit judges taking misdemeanors, traffic and small claims.
Who keeps the court records in St. Joseph?
The Circuit Clerk. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Missouri?
Yes: Case.net, the Missouri courts' free statewide case search.
Is this the official St. Joseph website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.