St. Louis

There is a full-service cafeteria located on the first floor.

Vending machines are located in the cafeteria: soda, snacks and candy.

In the Jury Assembly Room, coffee and a filtered water dispenser are available, along with light snacks. Vending machines (soda/snacks/candy) are located on the first floor. You will be given a list of restaurants located within walking distance when you first report.  The Jury Assembly Room has a refrigerator and microwave available for your use, so you are welcome to bring lunch.

Cape Girardeau

In the Jury Assembly Room, coffee and bottled water are available along with light snacks.  The room also has a refrigerator and microwave, so jurors are welcome to bring lunch. There is a list of restaurants within short driving distance in the Jury Assembly Room.

Hannibal

In the Jury Room, coffee and bottled water are available, along with light snacks.  There are places for lunch located a short drive from the Court.

Refer to Rule 15  of the Federal  Rules  of Civil Procedure regarding when you can file an amended complaint.  You may not amend your complaint by filing separate or supplemental documents. All of the claims you wish to bring must be included in one single complaint form.  When you file an amended complaint, it completely replaces the complaint(s) you filed previously, so it must include all of the claims you wish to bring.

Maybe. To seek the Court’s permission to proceed in Court without paying the filing fee, you must file a fully-completed Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs (short form).  This form is available on the website and from the Clerk’s Office.

Copies of specific rules can be provided by the Clerk’s Office. A full copy of all the Court’s Local Rules can be obtained from this Court’s website, www.moed.uscourts.gov.

No. Eligibility for proceeding without prepaying fees or costs will be decided only when a Judge rules on your application.

Yes, for example, you may have to pay someone to deliver your complaint. Also there may be costs for getting documents and information from witnesses and the defendant(s). Finally, the losing party may have to pay for some of the winning party’s expenses.

Documents are created and saved in a portable document formal (PDF) prior to being filed.

Log into your PACER account by visiting http://www.pacer.gov and clicking on "Manage My Account" in the top right corner of the webpage.

Under the "Settings" tab, click on Change Username or Change Password

Enter the current password, then your new password, where prompted.  Click submit.
 

Log into your PACER account by visiting http://www.pacer.gov and clicking on "Manage my Account" in the top right corner of the webpage.

Under the "Maintenance" tab, click on the item you wish to update, i.e., Update Personal Information, Update Address Information, Update E-Filer Email Noticing and Frequency).

If changing your personal information, type in your name as you'd like it to be displayed in the court's records and click Submit.

If changing your address information, update the fields as you'd like them to be displayed in the court's records.  Type in the box "Reason for Update".  Check if the address update applies to the entire firm.  Apply update to "All Cases".  Under Apply Updates to Selected Courts, click the addresses you'd like to be updated, i.e., PACER Billing, all Appellate, District, and Bankruptcy Court in which you are admitted, and then click Submit.

If changing your E-Filer Email Noticing and Frequency, click the boxes next to the courts you'd like to be updated.  Type in your new e-mail address (or existing e-mail address if all you are updating is the frequency and format).  Select the Frequency with which you'd like to receive NEFs.  Select the Email Format (note that "Text" does not mean you will receive text messages).  Click Submit.

A case is started by filing a complaint. You should refer to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Local Rules for information about the proper form of your complaint. The Court requires a civil cover sheet (available from the Clerk’s Office) and a complaint that includes an original signature and your address. You must also either pay the $402 filing fee or request the Court to allow you to file the case without paying the filing fee.

The ecf program sends an electronic receipt (NEF) to the filer verifying the document has been received and filed.

Electronic notification goes to all parties whoare signed up for cm/ecf (Any party who is not signed up for ecf must be notified by mail by the filing party. The certificate of service on the document must state how the parties are being served).

The docket sheet is updated and is immediately available to anyone with access to the system.

Petit Jurors

St. Louis – the term of jury service is for a two-week period. Usually jurors only report one time for selection during the term, and trials average 3-4 days long. If you are selected to serve on a trial which exceeds the service period, you will be required to serve until the completion of the trial. You are instructed to call the Automated Jury Information phone (AJIS) or check your Current Status online through eJuror on the date and time indicated on your summons. You will either report on the summons date or be rescheduled to another date during the two-week time period and instructed to call after 4:30 pm on the last business day for further instructions or changes. Usually jury selections are held only on Mondays and Wednesdays. If the Monday is a federal holiday, jurors are scheduled to report on Tuesday.

Cape Girardeau – Petit jurors are on call for a six-month term.

Hannibal- Petit jurors are on call for a six-month term.

On-call means you may be called to serve during that time period. You are not expected to be available every day during the term, and the court can schedule your appearance around vacation dates and other conflicts. You do not need to report until you a notified by mail of a specific reporting date. The court sends out notices to report approximately 10 days to 2 weeks in advance. The written notice will contain information for reporting and calling the automated phone or checking online through eJuror to confirm whether or not you need to appear on the scheduled reporting date.

Grand Jurors – Grand jurors serve for one year and may be extended if necessary.

• St. Louis grand jurors normally meet 1-2 days every other week
• Cape Girardeau grand jurors usually convene once a month.
• Grand jurors scheduled vacations can be accommodated.

You have been summoned for the United States District Court, and jurors come from a number of counties to serve.

For the Eastern Division, the Courthouse is located in the city of St Louis but petit and grand jurors are summoned from the City of St. Louis and the following 13 counties: Crawford, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Lincoln, Maries, Phelps, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis, Warren, and Washington.

For the Southeastern Division, the Courthouse is located in Cape Girardeau, but petit and grand jurors are summoned from the following 18 counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, and Wayne.

For the Northern Division, the Courthouse is located in Hannibal, but petit and grand jurors are summoned from the following 17 counties: Adair, Audrain, Chariton, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, and Shelby. For grand juries serving in St. Louis, jurors are summoned from both the Eastern and Northern Divisions.

No, if the Court previously granted your motion to proceed IFP, you only have to file a notice of appeal.

Yes, you can contact the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (314-534-4200) or Gateway Legal Services (314-534-0404).

Federal law requires that you fully complete the Juror Qualification Questionnaire even though you may be exempted or are seeking to be excused.  The Court may determine that you be excused from service, for example, if you have moved out of the district or you are not a citizen of the United States.  Regardless of your circumstances, however, the Questionnaire must be completed as directed in the instructions.

Since the Federal Court has a wide range of civil and criminal cases, your relationship to someone in the legal or law enforcement field may or may not have any bearing on the trial you are sent to for jury selection. Those relationships are not grounds for being excused.

Defendants with a prior conviction for an offense requiring registration with the State Sex Offenders registry MUST register to avoid a violation of his/her conditions of pretrial release. If a defendant is unclear on this matter, they are to seek direction from the Pretrial Services Office.

In nearly all cases, the Court will order conditions of release as part of the bond requirements. Pretrial supervision is ordered in nearly all instances, as are travel restrictions. Additionally, no defendant may possess firearms or other dangerous devices, including ammunition, while the case is pending.

Other conditions may be ordered and could include any or all of the following:

• Avoid contact with any persons who are or may become a victim or potential witness
• Report all contact with law enforcement
• Surrender passport and obtain no passport
• Electronic Monitoring
• House Arrest
• Curfew
• Substance abuse testing and/or treatment
• Mental health evaluation and/or counseling
• Residence at a Community Corrections Center
• Maintain employment or attend school
• Other conditions may be ordered by the U.S. Magistrate Judge

There are a variety of bond types ordered in the Federal Courts. They include:

• Personal recognizance bond: Defendant is released on his/her written promise to appear at all Court proceedings.
• Unsecured bond: Defendant is released on his/her written promise to appear at all Court proceedings AND to pay the Court the full bond amount in the event he/she fails to appear.
• Secured bond: Defendant’s release requires cash or collateral (property) be posted with the Court prior to the Defendant’s release from custody.
• Surety bond: Defendant’s release requires a bondsman, attorney, or similar party, to post surety prior to the defendant’s release from custody. All sureties used must be on the Department of the Treasury’s Listing of Approved Sureties. The surety must have a current certificate of Authority from the State of Missouri on file with the Court. The agent appointed by the surety must have a valid power of attorney filed with the Court.
• Release with Conditions: In addition to the above-mentioned bonds, the Court typically orders pretrial supervision and reporting as a condition of release for all defendants. Other special conditions may be ordered, including, but not limited to: travel restrictions, electronic monitoring (see separate section on this), substance abuse counseling and testing, and employment. Additionally, all defendants are ordered to not possess any firearm or dangerous device while on pretrial release.

This is a condition of release that designates an individual who agrees to assume supervision of the defendant and report any violations of release conditions to the Court. The custodian must inform the Court if they believe the defendant will fail to appear or, if the defendant’s behavior becomes a danger to the community.

If you paid the filing fee, you will need to have a copy of the complaint delivered to each person you have named as a defendant. The way in which a copy of the complaint is delivered to the defendant(s) is called “service.” The Clerk’s Office can provide assistance on how to do this. If you did not pay the filing fee, the Court will review your Application to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying Fees or Costs (short  form) and decide if you can proceed without prepaying the filing fee. The Court will also review your complaint to determine whether a copy of the complaint should be delivered to the defendant(s). If the Court decides that you do not have to pay the filing fee and determines that the complaint should be delivered to the defendant(s), the Clerk’s Office will have a copy of your complaint delivered to the defendant(s).

If services are not re-connected, alternative sites (home plan) will be explored.

If a defendant is charged in the Eastern District of Missouri, but lives in another area, the Pretrial Services Office will make arrangements for the Pretrial Services Office in the District of residence to provide supervision. The Officer will provide specific instructions on how to make contact with the supervising office prior to the defendant leaving the Eastern District of Missouri.

Each time the defendant travels to the Eastern District of Missouri, he/she should report - in person - to the Pretrial Services Office and meet with the Pretrial Officer monitoring the case.

Testing positive for drug use is a violation of conditions of release and as such, a violation would be submitted to the Court which could result in revocation of release.

The Court will notify you in a written order that your application has been denied and you may be given additional time to pay the filing fee.

Detention hearings are conducted when the U.S. Attorney’s Office, or the Court on its own motion, requests that the defendant be detained without bail. At the detention hearing, the Government must prove there is reason to detain the defendant.

Upon an individual’s enrollment in the diversion program, they will receive instructions on how to complete and mail in a monthly reporting form which reports the subject’s current address, current employment, and other relevant information.

All defendants have the right to an attorney’s representation in their defense. If the U.S. Magistrate Judge finds the defendant is unable to afford an attorney, an Order will be entered appointing an attorney. Defendants are not required to remit payment to an appointed attorney.

The initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge is in most cases the defendant’s first contact with the Court and usually is the point where pretrial release or detention is addressed. An initial appearance will occur in one of the following situations:

• an arrest on a warrant issued on a complaint an appearance on a summons issued in lieu of a warrant an arrest by an officer without a warrant (in which case the complaint is issued immediately by the U.S. Magistrate Judge) an arrest on a warrant issued following the return of an indictment of the Grand Jury an information is filed by the U.S. Attorney an appearance on a citation or violation notice in a misdemeanor offense
• an appearance in response to an informal agreement between the U.S. Attorney and Defense Counsel

The defendant will be read the charges being filed or the complaint against them during the initial appearance. Additionally, they will be provided a copy of the charges. The Court will determine if there is a need for an appointed attorney at this time.

Inpatient treatment is necessary for defendant’s who have continually tested positive for the presence of illicit substances and who are struggling with their substance abuse programs. An appropriate inpatient facility will be determined by the defendant’s supervising officer should it become apparent that intensive treatment is necessary.

A defendant could also be referred to inpatient treatment when released on bond.

The property owner posting the bond must provide the following items to the Court:

• Copy of the deed to the property,
• The most recent paid real estate tax receipt,
• Copy of the property insurance policy; and,
• A statement of the balance due on the mortgage (shown on a payment book, monthly statement or letter from the mortgage company.)

The property bond MUST be signed by all parties named on the deed. Anyone posting a property bond with the Court should check with the Judge ordering the release for additional requirements. Property bonds are handled directly by the Judge’s chamber’s staff.

The pretrial diversion program is a tool utilized by the U.S. attorney in deferring prosecution of individuals who appear to have been involved in prosecutable offenses. The pretrial services office receives referrals, collects and verifies information and prepares a report under an agreement with the U.S. attorney for the district. The Chief Pretrial Services Officer is authorized under Title 18 USC 3154(10) to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement with the U.S. attorney for the district.

Restitution may be collected from an individual based on the nature of their original offense. If restitution is to be collected, money should be submitted to the Pretrial Services Office via money order or cashier’s check, payable to the victim. No cash or personal checks are accepted as payment.

Substance abuse testing consists of a defendant submitting to randomly announced urine collections which are observed by employees of the vendor providing the service or by a Pretrial Services officer if the test is required during an office visit. The supervising Pretrial Services Office can allocate up to four random urine tests per month for any defendant in a substance abuse testing program.

The Court has implemented 6-foot social distance seating in the Jury Assembly Room and Courtrooms, will provide you with a mask or you can bring your own, and has gloves available for your use. There are hand sanitizing stations in high traffic areas, and hand sanitizer is available inside the jury assembly room. Daily sanitizing of common areas is also being performed.

Any person who fails to show good cause for noncompliance with a summons may be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned not more than 3 days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof.

At sentencing, if a defendant is not remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Judge may allow the defendant to self-surrender for his/her term of incarceration. A defendant remains under Pretrial Services supervision until he reports to the Bureau of Prisons facility designated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Defendants are notified by mail of the surrender information 4 - 6 weeks in advance.

Jurors are protected by federal statute, Title 28 U.S.C. 1875 which states “No employer shall discharge, intimidate, or coerce any permanent employee by reason of such employee’s jury service or the attendance or scheduled attendance in connection with such service, in any court of the United States”.

Shorts, tank tops, and sweatpants are NOT permitted in the Courtroom. You will be sent home without being paid or directed to return home and change at your expense if inappropriate attire is worn. You may wish to bring a sweater or light jacket to wear if needed in the Courtroom.

A $50.00 attendance fee is paid for each day you are required to and do report for duty, whether or not you are selected to serve on a trial. You will be paid 65.5 cents per mile round trip from your home to the Courthouse as reimbursement for your travel expense. The Court has an automated program to determine the miles from your address to the Courthouse, so you do not need to track your mileage. Checks are mailed to jurors twice a month. The jury payment files are sent to a central check facility in Kansas City on the 15th and the last day of the month and checks usually issue about 3 business days later. Federal employees receive attendance fees only on their regularly scheduled day(s) off.

Juror attendance fees are considered income and should be reported to the IRS on your tax form. The Court issues a 1099 MISC tax form to all jurors who have earned $600.00 or more in jury service fees during a calendar year. However, if you earned less than $600.00 in fees, this income should be reported on your tax form. Payments for mileage, parking, and subsistence are not considered income, but expense reimbursements and are not taxable.

Visit the Self-Help Resource Center in the Clerk’s Office.

St. Louis

The Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse is located at 111 South Tenth Street in St. Louis. The Courthouse is easily accessible from Highways 40, 44, 55 and 70.

Public transportation is also available: Bi-State MetroBus has stops near the Courthouse, and the MetroLink Busch Stadium stop leaves you at 8th Street, between Spruce and Clark Streets. The Court reimburses for mileage from you home to the Courthouse by the shortest practical route, regardless of your means of transportation. Distance from your home to Court is not a valid excuse for not serving as a juror. If you are prevented from driving to Court due to a health condition, you will need to send a note from your doctor regarding your inability to serve. You will report to Jury Assembly Room 1.300 which is located on the first floor, unless otherwise directed.

Cape Girardeau

The Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Sr. United States Courthouse is located at 555 Independence Street, at the intersection of Frederick and Independence Streets, in Cape Girardeau. It is accessible from Highway 61 and Interstate 55. The Jury Assembly Room is located on the first floor of the Courthouse.

Hannibal

The Court is located in the Federal Building (Post Office) at 801 Broadway in Hannibal (8th Street and Broadway). You will report to Room 346, unless otherwise directed.

Every attempt is made to locate a vendor near the defendant’s residence or place of employment to facilitate the defendant’s successful participation in their substance abuse program. Should a defendant require directions or additional information regarding their program plan and/or location, they should contact their supervising officer immediately.

All pretrial diversion candidates are fingerprinted upon their enrollment into the program.

Trials in this Court have up until 4:30p.m. on the last business day before trial to be settled, disposed, or continued. This Court only summons the number of jurors needed for the cases that are actually going to trial. In this way the Court can avoid having jurors report who will not go to a Courtroom for jury selection.

It is extremely rare that jurors in this Court are sequestered. If this would occur, your hotel and meals would be provided by the Court.