St. Joseph Criminal History Lookup
St. Joseph criminal history records are managed by multiple offices in Buchanan County. The 5th Judicial Circuit Court handles all state-level criminal cases filed in the area, while the St. Joseph Police Department keeps local arrest and incident reports. St. Joseph is the county seat and the largest city in Buchanan County. Whether you need to run a quick search on CaseNet or request a full criminal history check through the state MACHS portal, this page walks through each option for finding criminal history records in St. Joseph.
St. Joseph Quick Facts
Which County Handles St. Joseph Criminal Cases
St. Joseph sits in Buchanan County and serves as the county seat. All criminal cases from St. Joseph go through the 5th Judicial Circuit Court. The Buchanan County Circuit Court Clerk is at 411 Jules Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501. The phone number is 816-271-1462.
Court records are available at the clerk's office during regular business hours. Copy fees follow state guidelines. You can also search for St. Joseph criminal cases online through the CaseNet system at no cost. For sealed cases, you must be a party to the case and show up in person with a photo ID.
The Buchanan County Sheriff's Office is another source for criminal history records. They are at 501 Faraon Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501. The phone number is 816-236-8845. A records search costs $5, and copies are $0.10 per page. The sheriff's office shares its building with the St. Joseph Police Department, so you can handle requests at both offices in one trip.
St. Joseph Police Department Criminal History Records
The St. Joseph Police Department is at 501 Faraon Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501. The main number is 816-271-4777. The Records Division can be reached at 816-271-4076.
The Records Division handles requests for accident and incident reports. All requests fall under the Missouri Sunshine Law. You can submit a written request by mail, in person, or by email. The department must respond within three business days.
Under Missouri Revised Statute Section 610.100, investigative reports are closed records while a case is still active. Once an investigation becomes inactive, the report is open to the public. If your request for criminal history records is denied, the department must give you a written reason and cite the specific law that applies.
St. Joseph police handle a range of criminal cases. The city has its own patrol divisions and detective units. Arrest data from the department flows into the statewide criminal history database run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Under Section 43.503 RSMo, all Missouri law enforcement must report arrest and charge data to the Highway Patrol's central system.
St. Joseph Municipal Court Records
The St. Joseph Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations and traffic cases. These are separate from the state-level criminal cases that go through the circuit court. Municipal court records can be searched on CaseNet.
If you need copies of municipal court records, file a Sunshine Law request with the City Clerk's Office. The City Clerk is at 1100 Frederick Avenue, Room 303, St. Joseph, MO 64501. Phone: 816-271-4639. The City Clerk is the official custodian of city records and processes all Sunshine Law requests. Response time is typically within three business days.
Municipal court criminal history in St. Joseph covers lower-level offenses. For serious criminal cases like felonies, those records are at the Buchanan County Circuit Court. A complete criminal history search in St. Joseph should cover both courts.
How to Search Criminal History in St. Joseph
The fastest free option is Missouri CaseNet. No account is needed. Search by name, case number, or filing date. Set the county filter to Buchanan County to see St. Joseph cases. CaseNet shows charges, docket entries, and case outcomes for most criminal cases.
For a criminal history search that goes beyond court records, use the MACHS portal run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. A name-based search costs $15. Fingerprint-based checks run about $43 total. This covers both the state and FBI databases. You need to set up an account first.
In-person requests go to the Buchanan County Circuit Court Clerk at 411 Jules Street. Bring a valid ID and the name or case number of the person you want to look up. The clerk's office is open during regular business hours on weekdays. You can also try the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office at 501 Faraon Street for a local criminal records check at $5.
- CaseNet search: free, no sign-up needed
- MACHS name search: $15 per request
- MACHS fingerprint search: about $43 total
- Sheriff records check: $5 per search
- Sheriff copies: $0.10 per page
- City Clerk Sunshine request: response within 3 days
St. Joseph Criminal Record Expungement
Under Section 610.140 RSMo, Missouri law allows certain criminal records to be expunged. You file the petition in the circuit court in the county where the arrest took place. For most St. Joseph criminal history cases, that means filing at the Buchanan County Circuit Court.
Not all crimes qualify for expungement. Violent felonies and certain other offenses are excluded. There is a waiting period based on the type of charge. Misdemeanors have a shorter wait. Felonies take longer. The court charges a filing fee. You must notify the prosecuting attorney and the arresting agency.
Once a criminal history record is expunged in St. Joseph, it no longer shows on CaseNet. The record gets sealed. You can legally state the arrest or charge did not happen. If you have an old case in St. Joseph, this is an option to look into.
Public Records Access in St. Joseph
The Missouri Sunshine Law, Chapter 610 RSMo, gives the public a right to request government records. Criminal history records held by the St. Joseph Police Department, the City Clerk, and the municipal court all fall under this law.
When you submit a request, the office must respond within three business days. If denied, they must give a written reason with the specific statute cited. Active investigation files, juvenile records, and sealed cases are closed under the Sunshine Law. Most criminal case records at the circuit court level are open to the public unless a judge has ordered them sealed.
Nearby Cities
Other major Missouri cities also have criminal history records you can search through their local courts and police departments.
Buchanan County Resources
For full details on criminal history records across the county, visit the Buchanan County criminal history page. It covers the Sheriff's Office, circuit court, and all records options in Buchanan County.