Entry of Appearance - Missouri

ENTRY OF APPEARANCE

State of Missouri Circuit Court -- Civil Division

1. COURT IDENTIFICATION

☐ Circuit Court of [________________________________] County
☐ Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis (independent jurisdiction)
☐ Associate Circuit Division

Judicial Circuit Number: [________________________________]
(Missouri has 46 judicial circuits)

Note: The City of St. Louis is an independent city and operates its own circuit court, separate from St. Louis County. Kansas City is within Jackson County Circuit Court.

2. CASE CAPTION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF [________________________________] COUNTY, MISSOURI
[________________________________] JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
DIVISION [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Plaintiff(s),

v.                                                    Case No. [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Defendant(s).

For City of St. Louis:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
STATE OF MISSOURI
DIVISION [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Plaintiff(s),

v.                                                    Cause No. [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Defendant(s).

3. DOCUMENT TITLE

ENTRY OF APPEARANCE OF COUNSEL FOR [________________________________]

Missouri Terminology: Missouri practice typically uses "Entry of Appearance" rather than "Notice of Appearance."

4. PARTY INFORMATION

Party Represented: [________________________________]

Party's Role in This Action:

☐ Plaintiff
☐ Defendant
☐ Third-Party Plaintiff
☐ Third-Party Defendant
☐ Cross-Claimant
☐ Cross-Defendant
☐ Counter-Claimant
☐ Counter-Defendant
☐ Intervenor
☐ Garnishee
☐ Relator
☐ Respondent
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Party's Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Party's Telephone: [________________________________]

5. ATTORNEY INFORMATION AND APPEARANCE STATEMENT

COMES NOW [________________________________], and pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rules 43.01 and 55.03, enters an appearance on behalf of [________________________________] ("Client"), the [☐ Plaintiff / ☐ Defendant / ☐ Other: ____________________] in the above-captioned matter. All pleadings, motions, orders, and notices should be served upon the undersigned at the contact information provided below.

Attorney Name: [________________________________]

Missouri Bar Number: [________________________________]

Law Firm Name: [________________________________]

Mailing Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Street Address (if different):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Facsimile: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

Rule 55.03 Note: A lawyer "appears" in a lawsuit by: (1) participating in any court proceeding as counsel for any party, (2) signing the lawyer's name on any pleading, motion, or other court filing, or (3) filing a written entry of appearance.

6. TYPE OF APPEARANCE

☐ General Appearance -- The undersigned enters a general appearance for the above-named party in all aspects of this civil action.

☐ Appearance as Co-Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as co-counsel alongside [________________________________], Mo. Bar No. [________________________________]. The undersigned shall serve as:
☐ Lead Counsel
☐ Associate Counsel
☐ Local Counsel

☐ Substitution of Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as substitute counsel for [________________________________], Mo. Bar No. [________________________________].
☐ Motion to Withdraw and Entry of Appearance filed simultaneously
☐ Prior counsel's withdrawal has been approved by the Court
☐ Client's written consent to substitution is attached / on file

☐ Limited Entry of Appearance -- See Section 8 below.

7. CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE

Pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 103.08 (Electronic Filing -- Service):

☐ CONSENTS to electronic service through the Missouri eFiling System (Show-Me Courts / CaseNet).

Designated E-Service Email Address: [________________________________]

Additional E-Service Email (if any): [________________________________]

☐ DOES NOT CONSENT to electronic service and requests service by traditional means under Rule 43.01 (personal service, mail, or facsimile).

Show-Me Courts / CaseNet E-Filing Registration

☐ The undersigned is a registered eFiler in the Show-Me Courts system.
eFiler Username/ID: [________________________________]

☐ The undersigned will register as an eFiler within [____] days.

☐ The undersigned is exempt from electronic filing because: [________________________________]

E-Filing Note: Attorneys must be registered to eFile in order to file documents through Show-Me Courts. The system is accessible via the Missouri Courts website. When service is made through the eFiling system, the electronic notification constitutes service on registered eFilers in the case.

8. LIMITED ENTRY OF APPEARANCE

(Complete this section only if filing a limited entry of appearance)

Pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 55.035 (Limited Scope Representation):

A written entry of appearance may be limited by its terms to a particular proceeding or matter. The undersigned enters this limited appearance for the following:

Scope of Limited Representation:

☐ Specific hearing or proceeding: [________________________________]

☐ Specific motion: [________________________________]

☐ Discovery phase only

☐ Trial only

☐ Mediation or settlement conference

☐ Deposition(s) of: [________________________________]

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Detailed Description of Limitation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Anticipated Duration:

From: [__/__/____] To: [__/__/____]

☐ Through the conclusion of the specified proceeding or matter

Client Acknowledgment:

☐ The Client has provided written informed consent to the limited scope of this representation.
☐ A written limited scope agreement has been executed and is on file with counsel.

Service on Limited Appearance Attorney:

Under Rule 55.035, if an attorney has filed an entry of limited appearance for an otherwise self-represented person, service of documents related to the matter within the scope of the limited representation shall be made upon the attorney. For matters outside the scope, service shall be made upon the party directly.

Rule 55.03(a) Note: A written entry of appearance may be limited by its terms to a particular proceeding or matter. The attorney's obligation to the court and opposing counsel extends only to the matters covered by the limited appearance.

9. PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION

(Complete this section only if appearance involves an out-of-state attorney)

Pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 9 (Admission Pro Hac Vice):

Out-of-State Attorney:

Name: [________________________________]

Bar Admission(s):
| State | Bar Number | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |

Pro Hac Vice Requirements Checklist:

☐ Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice filed

☐ Verified Application for Pro Hac Vice Admission filed

☐ Certificate of Good Standing from the attorney's home jurisdiction attached

☐ Pro hac vice fee paid (confirm current fee with the Clerk)

☐ Disclosure of all pending disciplinary proceedings in any jurisdiction

☐ Missouri local counsel identified:

Name: [________________________________]
Mo. Bar No.: [________________________________]
Firm: [________________________________]

☐ Order Granting Pro Hac Vice Admission entered on: [__/__/____]

Rule 9 Requirement: An out-of-state attorney admitted pro hac vice must associate with a member of the Missouri Bar who has an office in Missouri and who will be co-counsel of record and present at all hearings unless excused by the court.

10. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

The undersigned hereby certifies that on [__/__/____], a true and correct copy of the foregoing Entry of Appearance was served upon all parties and counsel of record in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 43.01, by the following means:

☐ Missouri eFiling System (Show-Me Courts), which sends electronic notification to all registered eFilers in this case

☐ First-class United States mail, postage prepaid

☐ Hand delivery / personal service

☐ Facsimile transmission

☐ Email (with consent of recipient)

to the following:

11. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Dated: [__/__/____]

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)


By: ____________________________________________
    [________________________________]
    Missouri Bar No. [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    Telephone: [________________________________]
    Facsimile: [________________________________]
    Email: [________________________________]

    Attorney for [________________________________]

12. EFILING AND PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS

Show-Me Courts / CaseNet E-Filing System

1. Platform: Missouri uses the Show-Me Courts system for electronic filing. CaseNet is the public case information portal. Attorneys access eFiling through the Missouri Courts website.

2. Registration: Attorneys must register with the Show-Me Courts system using their Missouri Bar number.

3. Manage My Case: Unrepresented defendants may eFile only if they have properly registered and qualified as eFilers through "Manage My Case."

4. Filing Fees: Filing fees are payable through the Show-Me Courts system. Confirm the current fee schedule with the Circuit Clerk.

Jurisdiction-Specific Requirements

City of St. Louis

• St. Louis City is an independent jurisdiction, not within any county.
• The Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis has its own divisions and procedures.
• Courtesy copies may be required for certain motions. Check division-specific rules.

St. Louis County

• St. Louis County Circuit Court has multiple divisions with specific assignment and scheduling procedures.
• Verify the correct division and any division-specific requirements.

Jackson County (Kansas City)

• Jackson County has specific local rules and procedures.
• The Kansas City courthouse may have different requirements from the Independence courthouse.

All Circuits

• Missouri has 46 judicial circuits. Each circuit may have local rules or standing orders that supplement the Supreme Court Rules.
• Confirm local requirements with the Circuit Clerk's office.

Service Requirements Under Rule 43.01

• Every party to a lawsuit must be served with every pleading and motion filed.
• If a party is represented by a lawyer, service must be made upon the lawyer.
• Service may be made by delivery, mailing, transmission through the eFiling system, facsimile, or email with consent.
• When an attorney has filed an entry of limited appearance for an otherwise self-represented person, service rules apply as specified in Rule 55.035.

Important Practice Considerations

• Entry of Appearance vs. Answer: Filing an Entry of Appearance does not constitute an answer or responsive pleading. Deadlines under Rule 55.25 (30 days to answer) continue to run.
• Withdrawal: Withdrawal of counsel requires compliance with Rule 55.03. The attorney must give reasonable notice to the client and may need court permission to withdraw.
• Substitution: When substituting for prior counsel, file a Motion to Withdraw/Entry of Appearance and include client consent as required by local rules.
• Multiple Divisions: Some circuits have multiple divisions, each with assigned judges. Ensure filings are directed to the correct division.

13. PRACTITIONER NOTES -- MISSOURI-SPECIFIC

Court Structure

• Circuit Court: Missouri's trial courts of general jurisdiction. 46 judicial circuits.
• Associate Circuit Division: Handles smaller civil cases (generally up to $25,000), small claims, and certain matters.
• City of St. Louis: Independent jurisdiction; separate circuit court from St. Louis County.
• Kansas City: Within Jackson County, 16th Judicial Circuit.

Missouri Bar Number

• Missouri attorneys are identified by their Missouri Bar number, assigned by The Missouri Bar.
• This number must appear on all court filings.

Missouri-Specific Terminology

• Missouri uses "Entry of Appearance" rather than "Notice of Appearance."
• Pleadings commonly begin with "COMES NOW" rather than "Pursuant to..."
• Missouri uses "Supreme Court Rules" for its procedural rules, not "Rules of Civil Procedure" (though they are organized under that heading).

Vexatious Litigant Statutes

• Missouri has vexatious litigant provisions under section 531.045 RSMo that may require security for costs in certain cases.

Filing Fees (Subject to Change)

• Circuit Court civil filing fees vary by case type and circuit.
• Associate Circuit Division fees may differ from Circuit Division fees.
• Fee waiver may be available for indigent litigants under section 514.040 RSMo.

Key Differences from Federal Practice

• Missouri's procedural rules are contained in the "Supreme Court Rules" rather than separately titled rules.
• Rule 55.03 governs appearances and withdrawal; there is no separate appearance rule.
• Missouri's limited scope representation rule (Rule 55.035) specifies service obligations on limited-appearance attorneys.
• Discovery rules follow Rules 56-61, which parallel but are not identical to the Federal Rules.
• Missouri uses the "Show-Me Courts" eFiling platform rather than CM/ECF.

This template is designed for use in Missouri Circuit Courts. Verify all rule citations and local requirements before filing. Supreme Court Rules and local court rules are subject to change.