Title XXXII — COURTS

484.020. Who shall engage in the practice of law or do law business — penalty. — 1. No person shall engage in the practice of law or do law business, as defined in section 484.010, or both, unless he shall have been duly licensed therefor and while his license therefor is in full…

484.025. Residential loans, imposition of fee to complete documentation not deemed engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. — No bank or lending institution that makes residential loans and imposes a fee of less than two hundred dollars for completing residential loan docume…

484.040. Power to admit to practice vested in supreme court. — The power to admit and license persons to practice as attorneys and counselors in the courts of record of this state, or in any of them, is hereby vested exclusively in the supreme court and shall be regulated by rule…

484.053. Supreme court to furnish director with list of persons currently licensed to practice law in Missouri — tax delinquency, effect of. — The director of revenue is hereby authorized, pursuant to a cooperative agreement with the supreme court, to develop procedures which sha…

484.125. Criminal background check, fingerprint submission. — 1. The Missouri supreme court may require that fingerprint submissions be made as part of an application of licensure for admission or reinstatement to the Missouri Bar in order to engage in the practice of law or law …

484.130. Compensation of attorney governed by agreement — lien upon client's cause of action. — The compensation of an attorney or counselor for his services is governed by agreement, express or implied, which is not restrained by law. From the commencement of an action or the se…

484.140. Attorney may contract for percentage of proceeds of claim — notice of lien to be given to defendant. — In all suits in equity and in all actions or proposed actions at law, whether arising ex contractu or ex delicto, it shall be lawful for an attorney at law either befor…

484.150. Division of fees forbidden, when — penalty. — 1. It shall be unlawful for any licensed attorney in the state of Missouri to divide any fees or compensation received by him in the practice of law or in doing law business with any person not a licensed attorney or any firm…

484.160. Judgment for costs and damages rendered against attorney, when. — If an attorney or counselor at law shall commence an action and fail to prosecute the same, or if any action so commenced shall be dismissed for want of his attention, or if he shall bring the wrong action…

484.170. Partners of prosecuting attorneys not to defend. — Where two or more licensed attorneys at law of this state are associated together as copartners in the practice as attorneys or counselors at law, and one of such attorneys shall be the prosecuting or assistant prosecuti…

484.190. Powers to suspend or remove. — Any attorney or counselor at law may be removed or suspended from practice in the courts of this state for any of the following reasons: (1) If he be convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude; (2) If he unlawfully retain h…

484.200. Charges, where exhibited. — Charges against an offending attorney shall be in writing and verified, and may be preferred by any member of the bar in good standing, or by any judge of a court of record required by law to be a person learned in the law. The charges may be …

484.210. Day for hearing — citation, where served. — The court in which such charges shall be exhibited shall fix a day for the hearing, allowing a reasonable time, and the clerk shall issue a citation accordingly, with a copy of the charges annexed, which may be served upon the …

484.220. Citation and charges, how served. — The copy of the charges and citation may be served upon the accused by any officer authorized by law to serve writs issued by such court and in any county of this state, and if the accused be not found in this state then reasonable not…

484.230. Proceedings on failure to appear. — If the party served with such citation shall fail to appear according to the command thereof, obedience may be enforced by attachment or the court may proceed ex parte. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 13332) Prior revisions: 1929 § 11711; 1919…

484.240. Removal or suspension without trial. — If the charge allege a conviction for any criminal offense involving moral turpitude, the court shall, on production of the record of such conviction, remove the attorney so convicted or suspend such attorney from practice for a lim…

484.250. Trial by court or commissioner. — All trials of charges preferred against attorneys shall be by the court, and in all cases of conviction the court shall pronounce judgment of removal or suspension according to the nature of the facts found; except that, if the charge be…

484.260. Defendant may except to ruling and appeal from judgment. — In all cases of a trial of charges in the circuit court, the defendant may except to any ruling or decision of the court, and may prosecute an appeal or writ of error to the supreme court, in all respects as in a…

484.270. Judgment operates as removal or suspension — reinstatement, how secured. — Every final judgment or order of removal or suspension, made in pursuance of the provisions of this chapter by any court so authorized, shall operate, while it continues in force, as a removal or …

484.350. Standards for representation to be updated and adopted statewide, when. — Recognizing that Missouri children have a right to adequate and effective representation in child welfare cases, the September 17, 1996, Missouri supreme court standards for representation by guard…

485.010. Presiding judge may appoint secretary, additional staff — set salaries — source of funds for salaries. — 1. The presiding judge of each circuit may appoint a secretary or other staff personnel to aid the presiding judge in the administration of the judicial business of t…

485.040. Judges of circuit courts to appoint reporters — qualifications. — 1. For the purpose of preserving the record in all cases for the information of the court, jury and parties, and for expediting the public business, each circuit judge shall appoint an official court repor…

485.050. Duties. — It shall be the duty of the official court reporter so appointed to attend the sessions of the court, under the direction of the judge thereof; to take full stenographic notes of the oral evidence offered in every cause tried in said court, together with all ob…

485.055. Reporters may be transferred, when — power and rights. — 1. Whenever the supreme court makes an order temporarily transferring a circuit judge to a circuit court other than the court to which he was appointed or elected, or whenever any such judge is temporarily transfer…

485.060. Compensation of reporters. — 1. Each court reporter for a circuit judge shall receive an annual salary of twenty-six thousand nine hundred dollars beginning January 1, 1985, until December 31, 1985, and beginning January 1, 1986, an annual salary of thirty thousand dolla…

485.065. Source of funds for reporter's salary. — The entire salary of each court reporter and the expense of part-time court reporters for circuit judges serving as judges of the probate division as provided in subsection 2 of section 485.040 shall be paid out of the state treas…

485.075. Appointment of temporary court reporter, when — compensation — duration. — In the absence of the official reporter of any circuit judge because of illness or physical incapacity to perform his duties, the judge may appoint a temporary reporter, who shall perform the same…

485.077. Certification of official court reporters required. — 1. No judge of any court in this state shall appoint an official court reporter who is not a court reporter certified by the board of certified court reporter examiners, as provided in supreme court rule 14. In the ab…

485.090. Reimbursement for expenses while attending court — how paid. — Every official court reporter of a circuit court of a judicial circuit comprised of two or more counties, in addition to his salary, shall be reimbursed for all sums of money actually expended by him in neces…

486.100. Appointment — powers generally. — The governor may appoint and commission in any other state, in the District of Columbia, in each of the territories of the United States, and in any foreign country, one or more commissioners, who shall continue in office during the plea…

486.1000. Improper performance of electronic notarial acts — liabilities, sanctions, and remedies. — The liability, sanctions, and remedies for the improper performance of electronic notarial acts by an electronic notary public are the same as described and provided in section 48…

486.1005. Secretary to terminate electronic notary's registration, when — procedure. — 1. The secretary shall terminate an electronic notary public's registration for any of the following reasons: (1) Submission of an electronic registration form containing a material misstatemen…

486.1010. Impersonating or improperly influencing an electronic notary, penalties. — The criminal penalties for impersonating an electronic notary public and for soliciting, coercing, or improperly influencing an electronic notary to commit official misconduct in performing notar…

486.110. Official oath. — Every such commissioner, before performing any duty or exercising any power in virtue of his appointment, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation before some judge or clerk of any United States court of record or before some judge or clerk of any…

486.1100. Definitions. — As used in sections 486.1100 to 486.1205, the following terms and phrases mean: (1) "Appears in person before the notary" or "personally appear before the notary" or "in the presence of the notary", includes, in the case of a remote online notarization, a…

486.1105. Controlling law. — Sections 486.1100 to 486.1205 supplement the provisions of sections 486.600 to 486.820 and sections 486.900 to 486.1010 for remote online notarial acts. To the extent sections 486.600 to 486.820 and 486.900 to 486.1010 are inconsistent with sections 4…

486.1110. Rulemaking authority. — The secretary of state is authorized to adopt rules necessary to implement sections 486.1100 to 486.1205, including rules to facilitate remote online notarizations, subject to the limitations in section 486.830. ­­-------- (L. 2020 H.B. 1655)

486.1115. Standards for remote online notarization, secretary's duties. — 1. The secretary of state by rule shall develop and maintain standards for remote online notarization in accordance with sections 486.1100 to 486.1205, including, but not limited to, standards for credentia…

486.1120. Notary commission and registration required. — 1. Prior to performing remote online notarial acts, a person shall apply to be a commissioned notary for the state of Missouri. 2. A remote online notary shall register the capability to perform remote online notarial acts …

486.1125. Course of instruction required, content. — 1. Before initially registering the capability to perform remote online notarial acts, a notary shall complete a course of instruction as approved by the secretary, in addition to the course required for commissioning as a nota…

486.1130. Registration form, contents — denial of registration, when — confidentiality of information. — 1. To register the capability to perform remote online notarial acts, a notary shall electronically sign and submit to the secretary an electronic form prescribed by the secre…

486.1135. Term of registration. — The term of registration of an electronic notary public shall begin on the registration starting date set by the secretary and shall continue as long as the notary's commission remains in effect or until registration is terminated. ­­-------- (L.…

486.1140. Permissible remote online notarial acts. — The following remote online notarial acts may be performed using communication technology in accordance with sections 486.1100 to 486.1205, and by no other method: (1) Acknowledgment; and (2) Jurat. ­­-------- (L. 2020 H.B. 165…

486.1145. Audio-video communication, use of, requirements. — 1. For the purposes of performing a remote online notarial act for a person using audio-video communication, a remote online notary public has satisfactory evidence of the identity of the person if the remote online not…

486.1150. Principal requirements for remote online notarization. — A remote online notary shall perform a remote online notarization only if the principal: (1) Is in the presence of the notary utilizing live audio-video conferencing technology at the time of notarization; (2) Is …

486.1155. Remote online notary required to be physically located within this state for performance of remote online notarial acts. — 1. A remote online notary public shall perform a remote online notarization authorized in sections 486.1100 to 486.1205 only while the remote onlin…

486.1160. Additional transaction fee. — In addition to the other fees allowed by section 486.960, a remote online notary may charge a remote online notary transaction fee if the notary and the principal agree upon the fee in advance of the notarial act being performed and the not…

486.1165. Remote online notarial certificate, contents, wording. — 1. In performing a remote online notarial act, the remote online notary shall properly complete a remote online notarial certificate. 2. A proper remote online notarial certificate shall contain: (1) Completed wor…

486.1170. Registered electronic signature, seal, or single element required, when — employer restrictions — limitations on use of registered signature and seal. — 1. In notarizing an electronic document, the remote online notary shall attach to, or logically associate with, the r…

486.1175. Jurat certificate form — signature form. — 1. A remote online notary shall use a jurat certificate in substantially the following form in notarizing a signature or mark on an affidavit or other sworn or affirmed written declaration: ­ ­ 2. A remote online notary shall u…