Missouri Small Claims Court Online Filing and Case.net

Missouri does let you file a small claims case electronically — no trip to the courthouse required. But the eFiling system and Case.net are two different things, and confusing them is a common mistake.

eFiling: Submitting Your Petition Online

Missouri's statewide eFiling system is accessible through the Missouri Courts portal at courts.mo.gov. Self-represented litigants in most participating counties can use it to file small claims petitions without visiting the clerk's office.

Here is how it works:

1. Create an account on the Missouri Courts eFiling system
2. Prepare your documents — the SC40 petition and the Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet as PDFs. The system requires PDF format, so you need to fill out the forms, scan or save them as PDFs, and upload them
3. Select your county and case type — choose the correct judicial circuit and "Small Claims" as the case category
4. Upload and pay — submit your PDFs and pay the filing fee electronically (credit or debit card)
5. Confirmation — the system assigns a case number and the clerk processes the filing

The court filing fee varies by county ($20.50 to $45+). Check the total shown in the portal before submitting payment.

Where eFiling Gets Frustrating

The eFiling system was designed for attorneys, and it shows. Self-represented filers commonly run into:

• PDF formatting requirements that reject uploads (wrong page size, embedded fonts, file too large)
• Account registration steps that require an email confirmation and multiple form fields
• County-specific workflows where the interface differs slightly depending on which circuit you selected

If the digital process feels overwhelming, in-person filing is always available. Walk into the Associate Circuit Clerk's office, hand them the paper forms and payment, and walk out with a date-stamped copy and case number.

Case.net: Tracking Your Case

Case.net (casenet.courts.mo.gov) is the public records portal — not a filing tool. After your case is filed (whether online or in person), you use Case.net to:

• Look up your case number if you misplaced your filing confirmation
• Check service status — confirm whether the certified mail green card was returned signed, or whether the sheriff filed a return of service
• Monitor the hearing docket — verify the date, time, and courtroom
• Track post-judgment filings — see if the other side files a Trial De Novo application within the 10-day window

Case.net updates are not instant. It can take a day or two for a new filing or service return to appear. Do not panic if your case does not show up the same afternoon you filed.

When Online Filing Is Not Available

Not every county fully supports eFiling for self-represented litigants. Some rural circuits still default to paper filing, especially for small claims. If the eFiling system does not list your county or does not offer a small claims option, in-person or mail-in filing is your route.

Mail filing works: send the signed SC40 petition, the Confidential Information Sheet, a check for filing and service fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Associate Circuit Clerk's office.

For step-by-step filing instructions — including what to do after you have submitted the petition and how to track service on Case.net — see our Missouri Small Claims Filing Guide.

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