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 30, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Howard County, Missouri, has about 10,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Howard 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, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Howard County public records, Howard County arrest records, Howard County warrants, Howard County criminal records, Howard County police reports, Missouri arrest records and Missouri inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Howard County
Court cases from Howard County are filed in the Howard 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 Howard County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1599 (page title: Howard County Local Rules & Filing Information), 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 Howard County
Together, the two agencies in Howard County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 54 arrests to the FBI that year; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Howard County Circuit Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at como.gov/law/prosecutor (page title: Prosecution Division | City of Columbia Missouri), phone 573.874.7229, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 30, 2026.
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 Howard County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Howard County criminal records, Howard County divorce records, Howard County traffic tickets and Howard County DUI.
Cities in Howard County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Howard County Circuit Court; tickets under a city's own ordinances go to its municipal divisions where it has one.
The cities and towns in the county are Fayette, Glasgow, New Franklin, Armstrong and Franklin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Howard County?
Through Case.net, the Missouri courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Howard County?
The Howard 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 Howard County?
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 Howard County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.