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Terms Used In Missouri Laws 541.020

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the circuit courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all cases of felony, misdemeanor and infractions. Except as otherwise provided by law, circuit judges may hear and determine originally all cases of felony, misdemeanor and infractions and may hear and determine upon a trial de novo cases of misdemeanor and infractions.