St. Charles County Criminal Defense Lawyers
Speak With Us for FREE – 314-827-6222
JMH Law Firm, LLC takes criminal defense and traffic cases throughout St. Charles County. Our St. Charles office is on North Main Street in historic St. Charles, a short walk from the county courthouse.
Which court is your St. Charles County case in?
St. Charles County forms its own judicial circuit, the 11th Judicial Circuit. City courts such as St. Charles, O'Fallon and Wentzville describe themselves as divisions of that circuit too. Which court hears your case depends on the law you're charged under:
- State charges (felonies, state misdemeanors and state traffic tickets) go to the circuit court at the county courthouse in St. Charles.
- County ordinance violations go to the St. Charles County Municipal Court in St. Peters.
- City ordinance violations, such as a ticket from a city police officer, go to that city's municipal court.
Your ticket or summons names the court. You can look up a filed case on Missouri Case.net.
The St. Charles County Courthouse
State criminal cases are heard at the St. Charles County Courthouse, 300 North Second Street, St. Charles, MO 63301, open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. The criminal court's general information line is 636-949-7380.
A few things about the building help on your first visit:
- Everyone passes through a metal detector on entry. Weapons and alcohol aren't allowed inside.
- A large monitor above the fine and fee window shows where every judge is sitting that day.
- Bonds on criminal and traffic cases being heard at the courthouse (not in the municipal courts) are posted in the criminal office, Room 417 on the 4th floor.
- The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's office is on the 6th floor.
How a criminal case moves through the 11th Circuit
As of 2026, the circuit's criminal page says felony cases are generally handled in Divisions 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7, and misdemeanor cases in Divisions 9, 10, 11, 12 and 16. Cases are assigned at random, so you don't choose your judge.
A felony case starts when the Prosecuting Attorney files a complaint or a grand jury returns an indictment. From there, most cases follow this path:
- Arrest or summons, followed by a first appearance in court.
- Preliminary hearing. Missouri law bars a prosecutor from filing a felony information until you've had the chance at a preliminary hearing before an associate circuit judge, unless you waive it or a grand jury indicts you (RSMo 544.250).
- Arraignment on the formal charge.
- Discovery, motions, negotiation and trial.
A misdemeanor starts when the Prosecuting Attorney files an information, and it is resolved in one of the misdemeanor divisions. Learn more about felony defense and misdemeanor defense.
The 11th Circuit Treatment Court (Division 10)
St. Charles County runs one treatment court with several tracks. As of 2026, it sits in Division 10 and offers five:
- Drug
- DWI
- Veterans
- Co-Occurring (substance use together with a mental health disorder)
- Family Drug
The circuit describes it as a voluntary, court-supervised substance use treatment program. Participants appear regularly before the treatment court judge, take random drug and alcohol tests, attend treatment through a contracted local provider and go to community support meetings. The program generally takes 12 to 18 months. According to the court, successful graduation may end in dismissal of the original charges or a reduced probation sentence.
Missouri law defines a DWI court as one for people who have pleaded guilty to or been found guilty of DWI (RSMo 478.001). Division 10 also publishes a limited driving privilege checklist, which matters to anyone whose license is affected by a DWI. See our DWI defense page.
Municipal courts in St. Charles County
The St. Charles County Municipal Court hears violations of county ordinances, which the County Counselor's office prosecutes. It sits at 399 Turner Blvd., St. Peters, MO 63376 (636-949-1833). Since March 1, 2023, it allows video appearances only if you live more than 75 miles from the county or have a disability or serious medical condition, and the judge has the final say.
Several cities run their own municipal courts for city ordinance violations. Some examples, as of 2026:
| Court | Where it sits |
|---|---|
| St. Charles (city) | Criminal Justice Center, 1781 Zumbehl Road, St. Charles |
| St. Peters | St. Peters Justice Center, 1020 Grand Teton Drive, St. Peters |
| O'Fallon | O'Fallon Justice Center, 1019 Bryan Road, O'Fallon |
| Wentzville | 1001 Schroeder Creek Blvd., Wentzville |
Since January 1, 2023, O'Fallon's court has also heard cases for Lake Saint Louis and Weldon Spring, which send their own prosecutors. So a Lake Saint Louis ticket is heard in O'Fallon. For tickets, see our traffic tickets section.
Our St. Charles office
JMH Law Firm, LLC's St. Charles office is at 223 N. Main Street, Suite 1, St. Charles, MO 63301. Call 314-827-6222 or contact us online to talk through your charge and your court date.
Communities we serve in St. Charles County
We take cases from across the county, including St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon, Wentzville, Lake Saint Louis, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Weldon Spring, New Melle, Foristell, Augusta and Portage des Sioux, and the unincorporated community of Defiance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the St. Charles County courthouse?
State criminal cases are heard at the St. Charles County Courthouse, 300 North Second Street, St. Charles, MO 63301, open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Bonds on criminal and state traffic cases are posted in Room 417 on the 4th floor. The Prosecuting Attorney's office is on the 6th floor.
Is my St. Charles County ticket in municipal court or circuit court?
Check who wrote it and under what law. A city officer's ordinance ticket goes to that city's municipal court. A county ordinance violation goes to the St. Charles County Municipal Court in St. Peters. A state charge goes to the circuit court on North Second Street. The ticket names the court, and filed cases appear on Missouri Case.net.
Does St. Charles County have a DWI court?
Yes. As of 2026, the 11th Circuit's Treatment Court, which sits in Division 10, has a DWI track along with Drug, Veterans, Co-Occurring and Family Drug tracks. The program is voluntary and lasts 12 to 18 months, so talk to a lawyer before deciding whether to apply.
Can I appear by video in the St. Charles County Municipal Court?
Only in limited cases. Since March 1, 2023, the county court requires that you live more than 75 miles from St. Charles County, or have a disability or serious medical condition that keeps you from appearing in person. Even then, the judge decides.
