Platte County Circuit Court Overview
Platte County Circuit Court is Missouri's 6th Judicial Circuit Court for Platte County. Missouri circuit courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction. In Platte County, that means the circuit system handles civil cases, criminal cases, family and domestic relations, probate, juvenile matters, traffic, adult abuse, and small claims through its divisions. The Circuit Clerk is the records office for these court files, while the County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds handle different county-government and recorded-instrument records.
The main courthouse for court records is the Platte County Courthouse at 328 Main Street in Platte City. Court and jury materials point visitors to that courthouse for hearings, jury service, security screening, and records access. The sheriff's detention facility is in Kansas City and should not be confused with the courthouse for court hearings.
For case lookup, use Missouri Case.net first, then use the courthouse when a record is older, not digitized, certified, or restricted. The local Circuit Clerk handles certified copies and records questions, while the court division or municipal setting controls which docket path applies.
Platte County Circuit Court Divisions
The county judges page gives the local division list. It includes circuit judges, associate circuit judges, juvenile, probate, and municipal courts hosted by Division VI. The probate listing has a possible inconsistency in official division labeling, so the table preserves the official source wording without trying to correct it.
| Court or division | Judge or contact | Address or schedule | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Division II | Presiding Circuit Judge Ann Hansbrough | 328 Main St., Suite 5-CH, Platte City | 816-858-2232 |
| Circuit Division I | Circuit Judge Megan Benton | 328 Main St., Suite 5-CH, Platte City | 816-858-2232 |
| Circuit Division VI | Circuit Judge Myles Perry | 328 Main St.; also hosts listed municipal courts | 816-858-3286 for municipal clerk |
| Associate Division III | Associate Circuit Judge Quint Shafer | 328 Main St., Platte City | 816-858-2232 |
| Associate Division IV | Associate Circuit Judge Susan Casey | 328 Main St., Platte City | 816-858-2232 |
| Associate Division V | Associate Circuit Judge Amy Ashelford | 328 Main St., Platte City | 816-858-2232 |
| Juvenile Division | Judge Ann Hansbrough | 328 Main St.; juvenile records restricted | 816-858-2232 |
| Probate Division | Judge listed as Megan Benton | 328 Main St., Suite 95-CH | 816-858-2232 |
The Platte County judges page is the source for the division names and probate location.
Platte County Circuit Court Compared
Platte County does not have a separate county trial court in the same sense as some states. The Circuit Court is the general trial court. Lower court functions sit inside associate circuit, probate, juvenile, and municipal divisions. Appeals move to the Missouri Court of Appeals, with ordinary geography pointing to the Western District, and some issues may reach the Supreme Court of Missouri.
| Topic | Circuit Court | Associate Circuit Division | Municipal Divisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Trial court of general jurisdiction | Handles many lower-dollar civil, misdemeanor, traffic, preliminary felony, and small claims matters | Handles local ordinance and municipal traffic matters |
| Platte County record path | Case.net and Circuit Clerk | Case.net and Circuit Clerk | Hosted through Division VI for listed municipalities |
| Examples | Civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, traffic, adult abuse | Small claims, misdemeanors, traffic, preliminary felony events | Dearborn, Edgerton, Houston Lake, Lake Waukomis, Platte City, Tracy |
| Access caution | Some documents may require clerk help | Case type controls access | Municipal pages now stress in-person settings |
Platte County Case Flow
A case begins when a petition, complaint, information, citation, application, or other filing opens a court file. The Circuit Clerk processes the filing, the court sets hearings or deadlines, and public docket entries appear when the case is public and in the state system. For criminal matters, arrest and jail records can exist before charges are filed, but the court case starts when a formal charge or filing reaches the court.
Public case records are not the same as every paper or data point held by the court. Case.net may show a hearing, judgment, disposition, charge, or financial obligation without showing each document image. Older records, certified records, redacted filings, and restricted records still require the Circuit Clerk or a court order when public access is limited.
Criminal flow: Arrest or summons › charge filed › first appearance or arraignment › pretrial hearings › plea or trial › disposition › sentence › appeal when available.
Civil flow: Petition filed › service › answer › motions or discovery › settlement, hearing, or trial › judgment › post-judgment collection or appeal.
Probate flow: Application or petition › appointment or hearing › letters, inventory, claims, reports, or accountings › settlement or closing order.
Platte County Municipal Courts
Several municipal courts are hosted by Division VI of the Platte County Circuit Court. The local court pages list Dearborn, Edgerton, Houston Lake, Lake Waukomis, Platte City, and Tracy municipal matters. Those pages still show Webex information, but they also state that as of January 1, 2026 all municipal cases will be held in person in the Division VI courtroom. They warn that continuances are not granted on the day of court without appearance.
This municipal detail affects warrant, traffic, and docket searches. A missed city ordinance or traffic setting can create a bench warrant or failure-to-appear event that is tied to the municipal division rather than a new felony case. Search Case.net when available, but call the municipal clerk when the court date, payment status, or continuance rule is unclear.
| Municipal court | Schedule detail from research | Clerk phone |
|---|---|---|
| Dearborn | Every other Friday at 11:15 a.m.; in person as of January 1, 2026 | 816-858-3286 |
| Edgerton | Every other Friday at 11 a.m. | 816-858-3286 |
| Houston Lake | Every other Friday at 3 p.m. | 816-858-3286 |
| Lake Waukomis | Every other Friday at 3 p.m. | 816-858-3286 |
| Platte City | Every other Friday at 1 p.m. | 816-858-3286 |
| Tracy | Hosted municipal page; confirm current schedule | 816-858-3286 |
Note: A municipal traffic or ordinance case may not be solved by checking only county felony and misdemeanor docket entries.
Platte County Treatment Courts
Platte County Circuit Court publishes specialty court pages for Drug Treatment Court, DWI Treatment Court, Wellness Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. These programs are official court initiatives, but the amount of public detail differs by page. Drug, DWI, and Wellness pages list eligibility conditions. The Veterans Treatment Court page inspected showed the official title and imagery but no detailed eligibility text, so it should be cited as an official program without adding unsupported criteria.
The Drug Treatment Court page is one of the court's specialty program sources.
Drug Treatment Court eligibility includes adult age, legal U.S. residence, Platte, Clay, or Ray County residence, and a non-violent felony drug-related basis under the published local criteria.
The DWI Treatment Court page gives a separate treatment court source.
DWI Treatment Court criteria include no pending warrants and exclusion for a B felony DWI charge under the local page.
The Wellness Court page is another local Circuit Court source.
Wellness Court is described through eligibility factors similar to other treatment routing, but the page does not provide graduation rates or a presiding judge in the research file.
The Veterans Treatment Court page confirms the program exists.
Because the inspected Veterans Treatment Court page lacked detailed text, eligibility should be confirmed with the court before relying on it.
Platte County Circuit Court vs Federal Court
Platte County state cases are not federal cases. The county is in the federal Western District of Missouri for U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court matters. Federal civil rights cases, federal crimes, federal-question cases, diversity cases, prisoner matters, and bankruptcy records are searched through federal systems such as PACER and CM/ECF, not Case.net or the Platte County Circuit Clerk.
The Western District of Missouri is the federal district court source for the region.
That court is separate from Platte County Circuit Court even when a federal case involves a Platte County party or event.
The Western District Bankruptcy Court is also separate from county probate.
Bankruptcy discharge records belong to the federal bankruptcy court, while deceased estates and guardianships route through Platte County probate.
Platte County Court Visits
Court visitors and jurors should use the courthouse address at 328 Main Street in Platte City. Security screening applies to all persons entering. The jury page says camera phones, laptop computers, recording devices, firearms, weapons, sharp objects, metal utensils, knitting needles, scissors, knives, flammable chemicals, hair spray, pepper spray, and mace are not allowed. Free parking is available in front of the courthouse and on adjacent streets, with disabled parking on the east side and on Main Street.
The court does not provide childcare. Jurors generally report to the first floor and should allow time for parking and screening. These visitor rules matter for records users too, because an in-person copy request or hearing visit can be delayed at courthouse entry.