JEFFERSON CITY, MO. – The Supreme Court of Missouri has recognized the 37th Judicial Circuit – encompassing Howell, Oregon, and Shannon counties – for significant success in managing and processing its various cases during fiscal 2025. The circuit received the O’Toole Award during a semiannual meeting of the state’s presiding judges, held in late February in Lake Ozark.
“These awards recognize the delicate balance between resolving cases promptly and ensuring all parties have a full opportunity to prepare and be heard.”, Chief Justice W. Brent Powell said. “Every case in a Missouri court can have a profound impact on the people involved, and no matter how big or small the case might be, they are anxious for a prompt resolution to their legal dispute. It requires hard work among our dedicated judges and court staff, working with litigants and lawyers, to bring cases to a timely conclusion. This is especially critical in cases involving child abuse or neglect. Children who have been removed from their homes are understandably confused, frightened, and need stability. They rely on our courts to find them a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible.”
The circuit’s presiding judge, Judge Steven A. Privette, said “Our judges and staff work hard every day to make sure folks have their cases heard promptly and that each citizens rights are protected during the proceeding. We are proud to serve.
Named for the late judge’s service as the first chair of the state judiciary’s time standards monitoring committee, the Daniel J. O’Toole Award recognizes circuit court’s excellence in service and delivering timely justice to the public.
A circuit can earn the award by achieving a clearance rate of one, meaning the circuit, on average, closed as many cases as were filed in a given year across the measured categories of cases, preventing a backlog of cases. The clearance rate criteria have been in effect since 2016.
To qualify for this year’s award, the 37th circuit had a combined clearance rate of 100 percent or higher. It is the first time the 37th circuit has qualified for the O’Toole Award. It was one of five circuits qualifying for fiscal 2025.
