IF  YOU  ARE  IN  IMMEDIATE  DANGER  CALL  911.

The St. Louis City Circuit Clerk's Office is always available to help domestic violence victims who live in the City of St. Louis.  Missouri law provides you with the possibility of legal protection against the person(s) threatening or acting violently against you.

 

You may file a request for an Order of Protection.  If the Court grants you an Order of Protection, it would be illegal for the accused abuser, called the Respondent, to come near you.

 

You must file your request, called a Petition for an Order of Protection, in the Circuit Clerk’s office.  We have knowledgeable and understanding staff to assist you in filing your Petition.  There is no cost to you to file the Petition.   Your address can be made confidential.

 

If you have a child or children and are concerned for their safety too, then you can file for a separate child Order of Protection.  If the Respondent is the parent of your child or children, you may, if you request it, obtain temporary child custody and/or support.

 

You should have the following information with you when you file:

1.  If a child or children are involved their names and birth dates.
2.  The accused abuser’s name, description and residential or work address.
3.  What event or circumstance causes you now to seek an Order of Protection. 
4.  Social Security numbers would also be helpful and are not open to the public.

 

Our office is located on the 9th Floor of the Civil Courts Building located at
10 North Tucker, between Market and Chestnut.  Our regular office hours are 8:30 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday, and 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. 

 

We maintain “after hours” service through the cooperation of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  If the need arises to seek an Order of Protection after regular business hours, then you should go to your closest police station.  Once there, advise the desk officer that you want to file for an Order of Protection.  They will then contact our duty deputy clerk by phone.  That deputy clerk will assist you by phone in filing your Petition and will contact the duty Judge to obtain a decision on your Petition. 

The decision will be forwarded to you at the police station as soon as it is made. 

 

If an Order of Protection is granted, the Court will set a court hearing within 14 days of the issuance of the Order to determine if your temporary Order is made a full Order of Protection.  If your request for an Order of Protection is denied, you will be given a court date for a re-hearing.  In either event, the accused abuser will be given a notice to appear.  The Order of Protection only becomes effective once it is served on the Respondent.

 

Of course, nothing about this process prevents you from making a criminal complaint to the police.  The department maintains a special unit to respond to such complaints. 

 

If you have questions regarding the court process you can call us during regular business hours at 622-4434. 

 

Listed below are the locations and phone numbers of three area police stations:

 

North Patrol - 4014 Union Blvd..  444-0001

Central Patrol - 919 North Jefferson Blvd., 444-2500

South Patrol - 3157 Sublette (Near Sublette and Arsenal), 444-0100

 

For more help you may contact Legal Advocates for Abused Women (they also assist male victims) at http://www.laawstl.org/.