Section 476.055

There are multiple enactments of 476.055

Title XXXII COURTS

Chapter 476

Effective - 28 Aug 2026, 8 histories, see footnote   

  476.055.  Statewide court automation fund created, administration, committee, members — powers, duties, limitation — unauthorized release of information, penalty — report. — 1.  There is hereby established in the state treasury the "Statewide Court Automation Fund".  All moneys collected pursuant to section 488.027, as well as gifts, contributions, devises, bequests, and grants received relating to statewide court automation, and moneys received by the judiciary for the dissemination of information, sales of publications, or other provision of electronic services developed relating to statewide court automation, as authorized by the court automation committee, shall be credited to the fund.  Moneys credited to this fund may only be used for the purposes set forth in this section and as appropriated by the general assembly.  Any unexpended balance remaining in the statewide court automation fund at the end of each biennium shall not be subject to the provisions of section 33.080 requiring the transfer of such unexpended balance to general revenue.

  2.  The statewide court automation fund shall be administered by a court automation committee consisting of the following members:

  (1)  A judge from the court of appeals, four circuit judges, four associate circuit judges, four employees of circuit courts, and two employees who work full time in a municipal division of a circuit court, each of whom shall be appointed by the chief justice of the Missouri supreme court;

  (2)  Two members of the Missouri Bar, appointed by the board of governors of the Missouri Bar;

  (3)  Two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, with one member being from the majority party and one member being from the minority party;

  (4)  Two members of the senate appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, with one member being from the majority party and one member being from the minority party; and

  (5)  Four additional ex officio members as follows:

  (a)  The chief justice of the Missouri supreme court, or the chief justice's designee;

  (b)  The commissioner of administration, or the commissioner's designee;

  (c)  The executive director of the Missouri office of prosecution services, or the executive director's designee; and

  (d)  The director of the state public defender system, or the director's designee.

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The appointed members of the committee shall serve for terms of two years and until their successors are appointed and qualified.  The members of the committee shall be reimbursed from the statewide court automation fund for their actual expenses in performing their official duties on the committee.

  3.  The committee shall develop and maintain a statewide court automation system.  The committee shall have the authority to hire consultants, review systems in other jurisdictions, and purchase goods and services to administer the provisions of this section.  The committee may implement pilot projects in the state at any time.

  4.  Any purchase of computer software or computer hardware that exceeds five thousand dollars shall be made pursuant to the requirements of the office of administration for lowest and best bid.  Such bids shall be subject to acceptance by the office of administration.  The court automation committee shall determine the specifications for such bids.

  5.  The court automation committee shall not require any circuit court to change any operating system in such court, unless the committee provides all personnel, funds, and equipment necessary to effectuate the required changes.  No judicial circuit or county may be reimbursed for any costs incurred pursuant to this subsection unless such judicial circuit or county has the approval of the court automation committee prior to incurring the specific cost.

  6.  The court automation system, including any pilot project, shall be operated and maintained in accordance with strict standards for the security and privacy of confidential judicial records, as provided by supreme court rule.  Any person who knowingly releases information from a confidential judicial record is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.  Any person who, knowing that a judicial record is confidential, uses information from such confidential judicial record for financial gain is guilty of a class E felony.

  7.  No later than the fifteenth of January of each year, the court automation committee shall electronically file a report on the progress of the statewide court automation system with the chairs of the following committees:

  (1)  The house budget committee, or its successor committee;

  (2)  The senate appropriations committee, or its successor committee;

  (3)  The house judiciary committee, or its successor committee; and

  (4)  The senate judiciary committee, or its successor committee.

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(L. 1994 S.B. 420 §§ 476.055, B, A.L. 1997 S.B. 248, A.L. 2003 S.B. 448, A.L. 2009 S.B. 265, A.L. 2012 H.B. 1460 merged with S.B. 628 and A.L. 2012 S.B. 636, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1245 merged with S.B. 491, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1245 merged with H.B. 1371, A.L. 2016 S.B. 735, A.L. 2023 S.B. 103, A.L. 2026 S.B. 835 & 1111)