Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 221
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 221.020 (2026)

Sheriffs to be jailers, exception, Clay County

✓ current as of May 2026
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  221.020.  Sheriffs to be jailers, exception, Clay County. — Except as otherwise provided in this section and sections 221.400 to 221.420, the sheriff of each county in this state shall have the custody, rule, keeping and charge of the jail within his county, and of all the prisoners in such jail, and may appoint a jailer under him, for whose conduct he shall be responsible.  In any first class county without a charter form of government which contains all or part of a city with a population of at least three hundred thousand inhabitants, the sheriff and the county commission, by mutual agreement, may have the control of the county jail transferred to the county commission.

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(RSMo 1939 § 9195, A. 1949 S.B. 1071, A.L. 1989 S.B. 196, A.L. 1994 S.B. 520)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 8526; 1919 § 12551; 1909 § 1573

Effective 7-6-94

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases, 1977–2019 · leading case: State v. Trimble, 638 S.W.2d 726 (Mo. 1982).
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State v. Trimble, 638 S.W.2d 726 (Mo. 1982). · cites it 4× “One cannot read what happened to the victim without wondering how the abuse could have gone unnoticed or undiscovered by the sheriff, who is by law in charge of the jail, § 221.020, RSMo 1978, or his deputies or jailers.”
State Ex Inf. Ashcroft v. Riley, 590 S.W.2d 903 (Mo. 1979). · cites it 4× “The facts about charge 4, involving the handling of money allowed for employment of a cook are as follows: Under the law, Section 221.020, it is the duty of the sheriff to see that the prisoners confined in the jail are provided with food.”
State Ex Rel. St. Louis Cnty. v. Stussie, 556 S.W.2d 186 (Mo. 1977). · cites it 2× “§ 221.020, RSMo 1969. As a necessary part of his duties, the Director of Welfare must see that the prisoners are provided with proper space, food, bedding and medical attention.”
State ex inf. Nixon v. Russell, 45 S.W.3d 487 (Mo. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 3× “1997, when jailers, for whose conduct he was responsible under § 221.020, provided beer for inmates. The court also noted that Mr.”
Tyler v. Whitehead, 583 S.W.2d 240 (Mo. Ct. App. 1979). · cites it 2× “It says that the offending conduct was by the defendants as sheriff and deputy sheriff respectively of Boone County, and that plaintiff was a prisoner in the Boone County jail.”
Ahrens v. Thomas, 434 F. Supp. 873 (W.D. Mo. 1977). “§ 221.020. 3. Henry Miller, Alfred Kyle and Charles Kutz are duly elected judges of the Platte County Court and are responsible for performing duties prescribed by R.”
Jones v. Houser, 489 F. Supp. 795 (E.D. Mo. 1980). · cites it 3× “(1969), or to ensure that his subordinates provided such care, as required by § 221.020 R.S.Mo. (1969). Count III is against the judges of the Pemiscot County Court.”
Tatum v. Houser, 480 F. Supp. 683 (E.D. Mo. 1979). · cites it 2× “While the sheriff is responsible for running the jail under the provisions of the Missouri statute, Section 221.020, R.S.Mo. (1969), this plaintiff has shown no actual damage as a result of his treatment.”
Green v. Pierpont, 657 S.W.2d 743 (Mo. Ct. App. 1983). · cites it 2× “We issued an order to respondent, the official in whose custody petitioner is held, § 221.020, RSMo 1978, to show cause why the writ should not be granted.”
State v. Woodrome, 768 S.W.2d 149 (Mo. Ct. App. 1989). “Control of county jails are under the control of the county sheriff under § 221.020. Woodrome concedes he was being held in the Hickory County jail at the time he filed his motion for speedy trial pursuant to § 217.”
Fisher v. Shults, 242 S.W.3d 371 (Mo. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 3× “” Section 221.020 RSMo (2000) provides that the sheriff of a county is the custodian of the county jail and all prisoners therein.”
Archie Dunn v. Jasper Cnty., Missouri, Defendants-respondents., 490 S.W.3d 723 (Mo. Ct. App. 2015). “310, requiring the Commission to maintain the jail, and § 221.020, requiring the sheriff to “have the custody, rule, keeping and charge of the jail within his county, and of all the prisoners in such jail.”
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