Penny J. Creed (Democrat) Audrain County Courthouse

Audrain County Circuit Clerk, Penny J. Creed (Democrat), was elected in 1998 after working 6 years in the Circuit Clerk Office.

The Circuit Clerks Office has administrative control of Division I Circuit Court Records and files. They process many criminal cases per year. There is an average of 500 civil cases processed each year. The Family Support Payment Center has taken over about 75% of the child support payments.  The Payment Center will take personal checks but the Clerks office still will only receive cash, cashiers checks or money orders.. It can be paid in person at the office or mailed in.

The Office is organized into three separate divisions and has a clerk for each division with a full time floating clerk and a part time Clerk to help with Child Support on Monday.

The Civil Clerk processes cases that involve jurisdictional amounts over $25,000. The clerk also handles Ex Parte and Full order of Protection cases both Adult Abuse and Child Protection. There is no charge to file an ex parte for adult or child abuse protection order but costs may be assessed at the time of hearing to either party and a bill will be sent at that time. If an adult abuse is dismissed or if the person filing the adult abuse does not show up for the hearing the cost will be billed to them. Paperwork to file can be picked up and filled out in the Circuit Clerks Office and an adult abuse or child protection form is the only form the Circuit Clerk is allowed to help prepare as the Clerk is not permitted to practice law or give legal advice. The circuit clerks office handles all Juvenile files and has Juvenile Court at least once a month. It also provides signed and sealed subpoenas used in Division I cases both criminal and civil. It takes care of mechanic lien filings, bankruptcies and foreign judgments. This office will not do record searches either criminal or civil for the public but will assist any one who wants to search the records.

The criminal clerk files misdemeanor cases transferred from the Associate Division and Criminal Cases that are bound over for trial or those who request a Jury trial from the Associate Division. The clerk issues warrants and writs bringing those incarcerated to Court as witnesses or as defendants. The clerk keeps files on all Bonding Agencies to be sure their licenses are current so as to be able to write criminal bonds in the county.

The accounting clerk collects and disburses child support payments. Collects and disburses garnishments and collects fines, payments on fines and jail time ordered by the Court through Division One. She does all the billing for both criminal and civil cases. The clerk handles month end reports and makes the bank deposits which is deposited in three banks.  We are proud to be able to say we have had a perfect audit for the past 8 years.

To obtain copies of Court documents there is a cost of $.25 per page and $1.00 for certification. Copies can be obtained from all files unless the case has been sealed or if it is a juvenile filing or an adoption. In the event of a sealed file only the persons that are a party to the case or their attorney can obtain a copy.

The Circuit Clerk is responsible for drawing jurors for the four terms each year and is done from a list provided by the Department of Revenue of Missouri for those citizens holding a current driver’s license. There are 350 names drawn each term. Jurors are called for a three month term and will only average 2 to 4 days in court during their term. Jurors receive a questionnaire with the notification of their selection which they are to fill out and return to the Clerk within ten days. The Jurors are summoned by the Court Bailiff when their services are required.

The Circuit Clerks office is the core of communication for all of the county agencies, attorneys and general public who need to receive information from Audrain County Division I Court. Their office sends out notification of court dates, times and cancellations and processes inmates, bonds, probation’s and court costs. This office takes care of all passports in Audrain County.

Although Creed is a county elected official, she is paid by the state and is paid according to the Missouri State Statutes. All five employees in her office are paid by the State also.