Warren County Criminal Defense Lawyers
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JMH Law Firm, LLC takes criminal defense and traffic cases in Warren County, at the courthouse in Warrenton and in the county's city courts. Clients in Warren County work with our St. Charles office.
The Warren County Courthouse in Warrenton
Warren County is part of Missouri's 12th Judicial Circuit, a three-county circuit that also covers Audrain and Montgomery counties. Warren County cases are heard at the Warren County Courthouse, 104 West Main Street, Warrenton, MO 63383.
Offices you may need, from the county directory:
| Office | Phone |
|---|---|
| Circuit Clerk | 636-456-3363 |
| Prosecuting Attorney | 636-456-7024 |
| Juvenile Office | 636-456-2538 |
| Sheriff's Department | 636-456-4332 |
You can look up any public case on Missouri Case.net. The Warren County Sheriff's Department also posts weekly arrest reports on its website.
How a criminal case moves in Warren County
Missouri's criminal procedure is set by state law and Supreme Court rules, so the steps in Warren County follow the usual pattern:
- Arrest or summons. If police arrest you without a warrant, Missouri law generally requires that you be charged and held on a warrant within 24 hours or released. You must be allowed to talk with a lawyer at any reasonable time while you're held (RSMo 544.170).
- First appearance before an associate circuit judge, where bond and your right to a lawyer are addressed.
- Preliminary hearing for a felony. Before the prosecutor can file the formal felony charge, you have the right to a preliminary hearing before an associate circuit judge in the county where the offense is alleged to have happened (RSMo 544.250). The judge decides whether there's enough evidence to send the case on. You can waive it.
- Arraignment before a circuit judge, where you enter a plea to the felony charge.
- A plea or a trial, then sentencing.
Misdemeanors skip the preliminary hearing. Our felony defense and misdemeanor defense pages explain the charges themselves.
Missouri law lets each circuit set up treatment courts, including adult treatment courts, DWI courts and veterans treatment courts. A DWI court is for people who have pleaded guilty to, or been found guilty of, DWI or driving with excessive blood alcohol content, and completing a program can lead to charges or a penalty being dismissed, reduced or modified (RSMo 478.001). Ask your lawyer whether a 12th Circuit program could fit your case.
I-70 stops, tickets and DWI arrests
I-70 runs through Warren County, and MoDOT's Improve I-70 project covers the stretch from Warrenton east to Wentzville. A Highway Patrol ticket on the interstate is a state charge, which normally goes to the circuit court in Warrenton rather than a city court.
A DWI arrest starts two separate cases:
- The criminal charge in circuit court.
- A license suspension or revocation from the Department of Revenue. In general, that applies when a driver is arrested with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or more (RSMo 302.505). You have 15 days from receiving the notice to ask for a hearing (RSMo 302.530).
Missing that deadline can cost you your license before the criminal case is even underway. See our pages on DWI defense and traffic tickets.
Municipal courts and the circuit court
Warren County's incorporated places include Warrenton, Wright City, Foristell, Marthasville, Truesdale, Innsbrook and Lake Sherwood. A ticket written by city police for breaking a city ordinance goes to that city's municipal division, not to the circuit court (RSMo 479.010). Foristell sits partly in St. Charles County, so check which court is named on a Foristell ticket.
The court name and address on your ticket or summons tell you where to go. If you're found guilty after a trial in a municipal court, Missouri law generally lets you apply for a new trial in the circuit court within 10 days of the judgment (RSMo 479.200).
Juvenile cases
When a child is accused of an offense, the case usually goes through the juvenile office and the juvenile division of the circuit court, under chapter 211 of the Missouri statutes, rather than adult criminal court. Warren County has its own juvenile office (636-456-2538). Our juvenile crimes page explains how these cases work.
Towns we serve in Warren County
We take cases from across the county, including Warrenton, Wright City, Marthasville, Innsbrook and Foristell.
Talk to a lawyer about your Warren County case
If you've been charged or ticketed in Warren County, call JMH Law Firm at 314-827-6222 or send us a message. Our St. Charles office is at 223 N. Main Street, Suite 1, St. Charles, MO 63301. See all the areas we serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Warren County courthouse?
The Warren County Courthouse is at 104 West Main Street, Warrenton, MO 63383. State criminal cases and state traffic tickets in Warren County are heard there. The circuit clerk's office number is 636-456-3363.
What judicial circuit is Warren County in?
Warren County is part of Missouri's 12th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Audrain and Montgomery counties. Warren County cases are heard at the courthouse in Warrenton.
I was arrested for DWI on I-70 in Warren County. What happens to my license?
A DWI arrest usually starts two cases, the criminal charge and a separate license suspension or revocation by the Missouri Department of Revenue. You have 15 days from receiving the notice to request a hearing on the license action (RSMo 302.530), so don't wait for your first court date.
My child was picked up by police in Warren County. Which court handles that?
Cases involving children are handled through the juvenile office and the juvenile division of the circuit court, under chapter 211 of the Missouri statutes, not through adult criminal court. The Warren County Juvenile Office is at 636-456-2538. Talk to a lawyer before your child answers questions or goes to a hearing.
