Reviewed August 2026
Court Hearings in Missouri
Missouri divorce and custody cases start in circuit court. If a spouse needs custody, support, or property arrangements settled before the case ends, they can ask the court for temporary orders while the case is pending. That interim ruling gives the family a working arrangement while they wait for a final judgment. Some of Missouri's larger, more populous counties, including Jackson County and St. Louis County, run a dedicated Family Court division within circuit court. These divisions often use Family Court Commissioners. Commissioners are judicial officers who hear many family law motions and issue recommendations that a circuit judge reviews. In the rest of the state, a circuit judge handles domestic relations cases directly, alongside the court's broader docket. Each of Missouri's circuit courts manages its own docket, and only some counties have a dedicated Family Court division. How a request for temporary orders gets filed, scheduled, and heard can differ by county. Missouri has 45 judicial circuits covering its 114 counties plus the independent city of St. Louis.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how court hearings works under Missouri law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Missouri paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Requesting temporary orders
In a Missouri divorce case, either spouse can ask the circuit court to decide temporary orders while the case is pending. That can include temporary custody, parenting time, child or spousal support, or use of the marital home. This interim relief holds things together for the family during litigation. Litigation can take much longer to fully resolve, especially if the divorce is contested. The temporary order applies only until the court changes it or the case reaches a final judgment. A motion touching on support typically requires an income and expense statement from both parties.
Family Court divisions and Commissioners
Some of Missouri's larger counties, including Jackson County and St. Louis County, run a Family Court division within circuit court. These divisions handle divorce, custody, support, and related matters. They often use Family Court Commissioners, judicial officers who hear many family law motions, including requests for temporary orders. A commissioner issues a recommendation, and a circuit judge then reviews it before it becomes the court's order. In counties without a dedicated Family Court division, a circuit judge hears domestic relations cases directly as part of the general docket. St. Louis County's Family Court is one of the state's largest. It handles a substantial share of the region's domestic relations filings.
How a temporary orders hearing gets scheduled
After a motion for temporary orders is filed and served, the court sets the matter for hearing according to that circuit's docket. Whether the case goes to a Family Court Commissioner or a circuit judge depends on the county and its local practice. How quickly a hearing gets scheduled also depends on local practice. Anyone filing a motion for temporary orders should confirm the specific scheduling process with the circuit clerk in the filing county. Some circuits require a case management conference before setting a contested temporary orders hearing.
Remote hearing availability
Like most state court systems, Missouri's courts expanded remote hearing capability during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have kept using video and telephone participation in various proceedings since. Whether a specific temporary orders hearing can happen remotely depends on the circuit and the assigned judge or commissioner. There is no single statewide rule for family law hearings. Parties who need a remote appearance should ask the circuit clerk's office, or the judge's or commissioner's office handling the case. Larger metro circuits have generally kept broader remote access than smaller, rural circuits.
What happens at a temporary orders hearing
A hearing on temporary orders is narrower than a trial. The judge or commissioner decides what arrangement should apply while the case is pending. They are not making final findings on custody, support, or property division. Depending on the county and whether the request is contested, the hearing may involve limited testimony. The court may instead rule largely based on the motion, response, and supporting documentation. Common subjects are temporary custody and parenting time, temporary support, and use of the marital home. The resulting order stays in effect only until the court modifies it or the case reaches a final judgment. Either party can later ask the court to change the order if circumstances shift meaningfully.
Sources: Missouri Courts, official homepage
Not independently confirmed
- The specific statute governing temporary orders in a pending Missouri divorce case (commonly cited as RSMo section 452.315) was not confirmed against a directly fetched copy of the statute for this page.
- Which Missouri counties beyond Jackson County and St. Louis County operate a dedicated Family Court division, and the specific scope of what a Family Court Commissioner is authorized to decide, were not confirmed for this page.
- This page's research was significantly limited by repeated access failures (403 and empty responses) when attempting to reach the Missouri Courts website's self-help, family court, and rules subpages; content beyond the homepage could not be directly verified for this page.
- Whether a statewide remote hearing policy applies to family law temporary orders hearings specifically was not confirmed; practice appears to depend on the circuit.
Court Hearings in Missouri: frequently asked questions
How do I get temporary custody or support decided in a Missouri divorce?+
You file a motion asking the circuit court to decide temporary orders on a specific issue, such as custody or support, while the case is pending. The order applies only until it is changed or the case reaches a final judgment.
What is a Family Court Commissioner in Missouri?+
In counties with a dedicated Family Court division, such as Jackson County and St. Louis County, a Family Court Commissioner is a judicial officer. Commissioners hear many family law motions, including requests for temporary orders. A commissioner issues a recommendation, and a circuit judge reviews it before it becomes the court's order.
Does every Missouri county have a Family Court?+
No. Only some of Missouri's larger counties operate a dedicated Family Court division within circuit court. In other counties, a circuit judge hears divorce and custody cases directly as part of the court's general docket.
Can I attend a Missouri family court hearing remotely?+
It depends on the circuit and the assigned judge or commissioner. Missouri courts use remote and video hearing technology in various proceedings. But there is no single statewide rule guaranteeing remote hearings for family law cases. Confirm with the circuit clerk's office handling the case.
How long does a temporary order last in a Missouri divorce?+
It applies only while the case is pending, unless the court modifies it earlier. Once the court enters the final judgment, the temporary order is replaced by whatever the judgment provides for custody, support, and property.
What can a temporary orders motion cover in Missouri?+
It can ask the court to decide temporary custody and parenting time, temporary child or spousal support, and use of the marital home while the case is pending. This is an interim arrangement, not the final resolution. It is replaced once the court enters judgment.
This page is general information about court hearings in Missouri, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Missouri's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Missouri. Virdix does not prepare or file Missouri divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Missouri.
More Missouri divorce guides
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