Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 487.020 (2026)

Appointment of commissioners, juvenile commissioners, automatic appointment, terms

✓ current as of May 2026

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487.020. Appointment of commissioners, juvenile commissioners, automatic appointment, terms — family court commissioner, compensation, certain circuits — qualifications, compensation, retirement. — 1. In each circuit or a county having a family court, a majority of the circuit and associate circuit judges en banc, in the circuit, may appoint commissioners, subject to appropriations, to hear family court cases and make findings as provided for in sections 487.010 to 487.190. Any person serving as a commissioner of the juvenile division of the circuit court on August 28, 1993, shall become a commissioner of the family court. In each circuit or a county therein having a family court, a majority of the circuit and associate circuit judges en banc may appoint, in addition to those commissioners serving as commissioners of the juvenile division and becoming commissioners of the family court pursuant to the provisions of sections 487.020 to 487.040, no more than three additional commissioners to hear family court cases and make findings and recommendations as provided in sections 487.010 to 487.190. The number of additional commissioners added as a result of the provisions of sections 487.010 to 487.190 may be appointed only to the extent that the state is reimbursed for the salaries of the commissioners as provided in sections 487.010 to 487.190 or by federal or county funds or by gifts or grants made for such purposes. A commissioner shall be appointed for a term of four years. Commissioners appointed pursuant to sections 487.020 to 487.040 shall serve in addition to circuit judges, associate circuit court judges and commissioners authorized to hear actions classified under section 487.080.

2. The circuit courts in the eleventh judicial circuit, the thirteenth judicial circuit, and the thirty-first judicial circuit may, in substitution of each family court commissioner currently appointed pursuant to this section whose salary is reimbursable, appoint a family court commissioner whose compensation shall be payable by the state without necessity of reimbursement. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to allow appointment of a family court commissioner in the eleventh judicial circuit in addition to the number of such family court commissioners holding office in the eleventh judicial circuit as of January 1, 1999. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to allow appointment of a family court commissioner in the thirteenth judicial circuit or the thirty-first judicial circuit in addition to the number of such family court commissioners holding office in such circuits as of January 1, 2013. The appointment of the state-paid commissioner shall be subject to appropriations for such purpose.

3. Each commissioner of the family court shall possess the same qualifications as a circuit judge. The compensation and retirement benefits of each commissioner shall be the same as that of an associate circuit judge, payable in the same manner and from the same source as that of an associate circuit judge.

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(L. 1993 H.B. 346 § 2 subsecs. 1, 2, A.L. 1995 S.B. 347, A.L. 1999 S.B. 1, et al., A.L. 2013 H.B. 374 & 434)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 1996–2019 · leading case: In Re Finnegan, 327 S.W.3d 524 (Mo. 2010).

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In Re Finnegan, 327 S.W.3d 524 (Mo. 2010). · cites it 14× “265 ("The commissioner will have all the powers and duties of such judge; but the judge shall by order of record reject or confirm all orders, judgments and decrees.”

State ex rel. Kramer v. Walker, 926 S.W.2d 72 (Mo. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 2× “§ 487.020 RSMo 1993. *75 The respondent and amicus argue that commissioners are not subject to Supreme Court Rule 51.”

State v. Wilson, 5 S.W.3d 527 (Mo. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 2× “Section 487.020 governs appointment of all family court commissioners, including juvenile court commissioners.”

Craig A. Gilbert, Respondent/Cross-Appellant v. Aysin Koparan, Appellant/Cross-Respondent. (Mo. Ct. App. 2019). “To the extent feasible, judges designated as family court judges and the commissioners appointed under sections 487.020 to 487.040 shall be those who: (1) Desire to be so assigned; (2) Have the temperament necessary to deal properly with cases that come before the family court; .”

Kierst v. P. O., 966 S.W.2d 385 (Mo. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 2× “The position of Family Court commissioner is created by § 487.020, RSMo Supp. 1997. Such commissioners, however, are not authorized to exercise judicial power by Article V of the Missouri Constitution.”

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