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Civil and Domestic Information

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1. Can I file for a divorce without an attorney?

Yes, but there are important things you must know. The Clerk’s office staff cannot give legal advice. This means, we cannot answer questions in regards to the paperwork you are preparing or missing. Further, per Rule 68.5 PARTIES NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL – LITIGANT AWARENESS PROGRAM: Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 88.90, every party not represented by counsel who participates in a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, legal separation, parentage or the modification of a judgment in any such proceeding shall use the pleading forms found at www.selfrepresent.mo.gov, and shall complete the litigant awareness program designed by the Supreme Court also found at the above listed website. The litigant shall complete this program and shall certify to the Court, in writing, that he/she has completed this program.

If you are unsure of the requirement to proceed, we strongly urge you to seek the advice of an attorney. You may consider contacting the Missouri Bar Association for an attorney referral at 573-636-3635 or visit their web site at www.mobar.org.

2. What is the fee and process for filing a Dissolution of Marriage?

The fee for filing a Dissolution of Marriage is $102.00. This does not include service fees. The fee for service must be obtained by calling the Sheriff’s Office of the county in which service needs to be made.

The handbook, In Your child’s Best Interest, provides a brief summary of definitions and explanations of terms. Although the handbook list “…the Circuit Clerk’s Office in your local courthouse…” as a resource for assistance, we are prohibited by law from assisting in certain areas previously described.

3. Frequent terms used to become familiar with:

Answer – A written response to a petition.
Dissolution (Divorce) – The process by which a marriage is ended.
Entry of Appearance – A Notice files with a court stating that an individual or his/her attorney will appear at a court proceeding.
Judgment of Dissolution – A court order containing the terms under which a marriage is ended.
Personal Service – Delivery of a summons by a sheriff or private process server to the person against whom a petition or motion has been filed.
Petition – A written request to a court for action on a certain matter.
Petitioner – The person who files a petition with the Court.
Pro Se – A person who represents him/herself in a court proceeding without the help of a lawyer.
Respondent – The person who files an answer to a petition.
Summons – Notifies the person against who a petition or motion has been filed of the date to appear in Court to file an answer.

4. How can I find out if I have a court date?

You should contact your attorney or go to Case.net online at www.courts.mo.gov/case.net.

5. How do I obtain a copy of my divorce decree and what is the cost?

Copies of a divorce decree may be obtained by submitting a request to the Circuit Clerk either by mail or in person.

Please complete the following in its entirety:
Name of the parties at the time of the divorce
Approximate month and year of divorce
Self-addressed stamped envelope
COST: $2.50 for judgment without attachment
$5.00 for judgment with attachment
Examples of an attachment: Parenting Plan or Separation Agreement, etc.

Send your request to:
Cindi Bowman
Butler County Circuit Clerk
100 N. Main St.
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

6. I am not receiving my court ordered visitation. What can I do?

You may file a Motion for Family Access.

Submit the following:
Prepared Motion for Family Access – can be submitted in person or by mail. Signature must be notarized.
$102.00 filing fee
Service fee – Motion must be served on the person violating order.(Contact the appropriate county’s sheriff for the amount due)
Additional forms may be required. Please contact the Clerk’s office at 573-686-8082 for more specific information.

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Collector's Office

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1. How do I change my mailing address?

You may update your mailing address in 1 of the following 3 ways:
- Contact the Butler County Assessor of Property at 573-686-8084.
- Complete the address change request on the back of tax payment coupon included with your tax billing statement, and submit it to the Collector’s Office along with your payment.
- View your tax record to submit an address change request.

Once we receive your request, we will contact you for confirmation and additional information.

2. I sold my property in May. Why am I getting the tax bill?

Property tax notices are mailed to the owner of record as of January 1 of the tax year. If you receive a tax notice, but have sold your property, or if your taxes are paid by a mortgage company or someone else, please forward the notice to the person(s) responsible for payment.

3. What's the difference between Real Property and Personal Property?

Real property is the real estate (buildings and land). Personal Property is for assets used in a business (such as computers, desks, equipment, etc.) or assets owned by an individual (cars, boats, trailers, etc.).

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Court Costs

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1. How do I know what I owe in court costs?

You should receive a bill in court or in the mail from the Butler County Circuit Clerk. If you do not
receive a copy, contact our office at 573-686-8087.

2. Where do I pay my costs and restitution?

Criminal, civil, juvenile and traffic costs, as well as standard costs such as board bill, fines, etc. should be paid to:
Butler County Circuit Clerk
100 N Main Street
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

Restitution payments may be paid to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. If you are unsure as to whether or not restitution is owed, please call the Butler County Prosecuting Attorney’s office prior to making your payment at 573-686-8060. To ensure proper credit, be sure to include your case number.

Court cost payments may be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week through PayByWeb.

3. When are my costs due?

- Civil and domestic fees are due at filing or upon order of the Court.
- Felony court costs are due upon orders from the Judge.
- Misdemeanor Traffic/Infraction court costs require a payment $50 per month until paid in full.


Court costs include but are not limited to fines, statutorily assessed costs, costs assessed by local court rule, Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund, County Law Enforcement Restitution Fund and board bill as well as a one-time, Time Payment Fee charge of $25. (Time Payment Fee is removed if costs are paid in full within 30 days of billing, regardless of the due date).

4. What happens if I do not pay my court costs on time?

Any delinquent balance after the due date will be submitted to the Missouri Department of Revenue for tax offset and CSI, a private collection agency. Costs submitted to CSI are subject to an additional 20% of the total amount due for collection fees.

You may be required to appear in court to show cause why your court costs have not been paid. Failure to appear will result in the issue of a warrant for your arrest. Failure to pay may constitute a violation of your probation.

5. How can I find out if I have a court date?

You should contact your attorney to find out if you have a court date.

6. How do I know what I owe in criminal restitution?

Please contact the Butler County Prosecuting Attorney’s office at 573-686-8060.

7. Where can I go to obtain a criminal background check on an individual?

Contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol 573-526-6153.

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General Property Questions

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1. When are property tax bills mailed out?

Typically, property tax statements are mailed on November 1 of each year. Property tax bills are mailed to the owner of record (as of January 1). If a deed change occurs after the 1st of the year, a tax bill is mailed to the new owner of the property as a courtesy.

New owners should contact their title company or review their closing statement to determine who is responsible for paying the taxes. Payment of property tax depends on when the property is transferred.

2. What time of year are property taxes due?

Taxes are due and payable the 1st of November and may be paid through December 31 of the same year without penalty and interest.

3. What happens if I miss the tax payment deadline?

From the 1st day of each month beginning January 1, interest and penalty is added to the amount due.

4. What time period do my annual taxes cover?

Current year taxes become payable when statements are sent out, and they are for the calendar period of January 1 through December 31 of the current year.

5. Where can my tax bill be paid in person?

The Collector's Office is on the 1st floor of the Butler County Courthouse located at 100 North Main Street, Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

6. Does my mortgage company get a copy of my tax bill mailed to them?

Yes, if the mortgage company requests a copy of your tax bill, they will get one. If the mortgage company didn’t request a copy, then a statement will be mailed to the property owner and it’s the owner’s responsibility to forward tax bills to their mortgage company.

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Jury Service

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1. I am not a registered voter yet I received a jury summons, how did this happen?

Both voter registration and driver license applicants are included in the jury master list.

2. How long do I have to serve on the Jury?

Jury duty is for a period of 3 months. Jury terms begin on the first Monday of March, June, September and December.

3. I have been selected for jury duty but I no longer live in Butler County. What do I do?

Please put your new address on the form and return it to our office. We will update your address information in our system.

4. I am in bad health and do not feel I could serve on jury duty. Can you take me off the list?

Although we understand that not everyone is capable of serving on a jury, only the Circuit Judge is authorized to remove a juror from the randomly selected jury list. Please complete your questionnaire and return it to our office. We will submit your responses to the Circuit Judge for his consideration. You will be notified by mail, if you are excused from jury duty. In some instances, you may be asked to provide a written statement from your doctor.

5. I received a questionnaire for a family member that is deceased. What do I do?

We do apologize for this circumstance. To assist with proper handling of the situation, please indicate on the questionnaire that individual’s date of death and return it to our office and we will promptly update our system.

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Property Info & Assessment

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1. Is there a charge for reviewing information about my property?

For an individual property, there is no charge for reviewing tax information.

2. Is my property information viewable by other people?

Any individual or company is allowed to review this information. Property tax information is public record.

3. Where can I find information about the assessed value of my property?

The county assessor is responsible for the appraisal and assessment of property. You may contact the county assessor's office at 573-686-8084.

4. How are the county assessor's office and the collector's office related?

The County Assessor is responsible for the appraisal and assessment of property, according to state law. The Collector's Office is responsible for billing and collection of taxes based on assessments. The collector has no authority over the amount of assessment, nor can she be involved in the appraisal process.

5. What is the appeal process?

Appointments can be made by contacting the assessor's office. The appeal process begins in the county assessor's office by appearing before the Local Board of Equalization. For more information, visit our Assessment Appeals page.

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Real Estate

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1. What are assessment and reassessment?

Assessment is the process of placing value on a property for the purpose of property taxation. Reassessment is an update of all real property assessments in the county, conducted by the county assessor to equalize values among taxpayers and to adjust values to current market conditions.

2. How often is property reassessed?

Reassessed values of real estate are placed on the tax rolls by the assessor in odd-numbered years. Personal property is assessed every year.

3. What happens in the even years when property is not reassessed?

For most real estate owners, nothing happens in the even years. However, if new construction and improvements have taken place, the property’s market value is adjusted to reflect the added value of the new construction. The total value is based upon the market conditions as of January first of the preceding year.

For example, if your house was valued by the assessor at $50,000 as of January 1 of the previous year, and you added a bedroom in June of the previous year, the increase in value would be added for the current tax year. If the house with the new bedroom would have been worth $60,000 on January 1 of the current tax year, your market value for current tax year would be $60,000.

4. Is all property taxed?

No, not all property is taxed. Exempt real estate includes property owned by governments, property used as non-profit cemeteries, exclusively for religious worship, for schools and colleges, and for purely charitable purposes.

5. Why is reassessment necessary?

Under Missouri’s Constitution, all assessments for property tax purposes must be based upon market value and be uniform within the same class or subclass of property.

Over time, the value of property may change, depending upon its nature, location, and other factors. Some values change more rapidly than others. Reassessment is the only way to be sure that the taxpayer is being taxed fairly and is taxed the same as other comparable property.

6. Who is responsible for reassessing property?

The county assessor is primarily responsible for assessing property within the county. However, the assessor’s work is subject to review by the County Board of Equalization and the State Tax Commission. The State Tax Commission is the state agency charged with general supervision of assessors and with enforcing property tax laws.

7. What are the assessor's qualifications?

Assessors are trained in all aspects of the assessment process including determining value using the income approach, cost approach, and comparable sales approach. Assessors must participate in approved continuing education courses to remain certified with the State Tax Commission.

8. What is market value?

Market value, true value in money, and appraised value have the same meaning under Missouri Law. A simple definition of market value is the price the property would bring when offered for sale by a person who is willing but not obligated to sell it, and is bought by a person who is willing to purchase it but who is not forced to do so.

9. How is my assessment level established?

Once the estimate of market value has been determined, the Assessor calculates a percentage of that value to arrive at assessed value. The percentage is based on the classification, determined by the type of property or how it is used. The percentages are:
- Agricultural - 12%
- Commercial and all other - 32%
- Real estate residential - 19%


As an example, a residence with a market value of $50,000 would be assessed at 19%, which would place its assessed value at $9,500.

10. How are the real estate classifications determined?

Missouri statutes define the 3 subclasses of real estate. For more information, see the Real Estate Classifications page.

11. How does the assessor value my real property?

A number of methods are used. The assessor’s staff looks at new construction that has taken place, sales prices of comparable property located nearby, the condition of your property, and any other factors that can help place an accurate value on the property. For more information on the techniques available, see our Assessment Techniques page.

12. Will all property values change due to reassessment?

All values are likely to change, but not all will change to the same extent. Market values increase more in some neighborhoods than in others. A major purpose of reassessment is to make sure that the new values reflect all changes that have occurred.

13. If no improvements have been made to my property, why should the assessed value increase?

Over time, market value changes even if no improvements are made to the property. Many people sell their homes for much more than they paid for them years earlier. The statutes require that property be periodically reassessed to maintain realistic market values and treat all taxpayers fairly.

14. Will I be notified if there is an increase in my assessment?

The assessor is required by the statues to notify the owner of record of any increase in valuation of real property.

15. What if I disagree with my assessment?

If you do not agree with your assessment, there are 3 steps you can take in the appeal process. For more information, see the Assessment Appeals page.

16. How does reassessment affect my taxes?

It depends. An increase in assessed value does not necessarily equate to an increase in property taxes. Your taxes are calculated by multiplying your assessed value times the combined levies of the taxing entities which levy a tax on the particular property. If levies increase, taxes may increase even if assessed value remains unchanged or decreases. It follows that, if levies decrease, an increase in assessed values may not cause an increase in taxes.

One factor which can cause a decrease in levies is a rollback which was discussed in the previous example. Another is a voluntary reduction voted by the governing body.

Tax levies are normally set during September. That means when you receive a notice that your assessment has been increased, it is too early to be able to calculate how the change in assessed value will affect your taxes. You will not know until the rates have been set by all of the local governments that tax your property.

This information is designed to explain the reassessment process in Missouri. It is based on the laws in effect at the time it was written. Nothing here gives anyone any greater rights than they would have by law. If the laws change, the facts and procedures mentioned may also change.

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Recorder

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1. Who will prepare my documents for recording?

The recorder’s office does not prepare real estate documents. It is the submitter’s responsibility to prepare your document correctly. Recorders do not change or alter documents. Getting legal advice and directions from a title company or real estate attorney is advisable for preparation of all land documents.

2. How is property ownership conveyed from one party to another?

In order to change ownership, a new deed will need to be prepared. Please consult with your Title Company or attorney regarding changes to your property deed, beneficiary deeds, estate planning, etc.

3. I made a change to the document and need to record it over. Can documents be re-recorded?

You must have a new cover page with correct margins, first page state requirements and new signatures that have been re-acknowledged. Must state on the first page that this is a re-recording, give reason for re-recording, recorded date and book/page number of the document being corrected. It is always best to do a corrected recording if possible.

4. Where is my release deed? The loan company said they sent it for recording.

All recordings are returned to the submitter or their servicing company.

5. How do I get a tax lien off of my credit report?

When the State of Missouri or the IRS files a lien with the local recorder’s office, independent credit bureau searchers input the lien into your credit report. When the lien has been released by the filing office, they are supposed to send the release or discharge to the correct Recorders office to be put on record with the original filing. Sometimes the Recorders office does not receive the release; in that case please contact the State of Missouri at 1-573-751-7200 for information regarding state tax liens, or the IRS at 1-800-913-6050 for information regarding federal tax liens.

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Tax Sale Information

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1. What is a tax sale?

A tax sale is an auction of parcels of property that have delinquent taxes.

2. What is the date and time of the annual tax sale auction?

Butler County’s annual tax sale auction is the 4th Monday of August and begins at 10 a.m. on the Butler County Courthouse steps.

3. Where and when will the auction/sale be advertised?

The parcels up for tax sale will be published 3 times in local print news media, in The Daily American Republic.

4. When are tax sales advertised?

The auction list is first published approximately 3 weeks before the sale.

5. How and when do you register for the tax sale auctions?

There is a registration and affidavit form online.

6. Is it possible to register by mail?

No, you can not register by mail.

7. What type of payment is required at auction?

Either cash or money order is due at time of sale.

8. What type of bidding process are used?

This is an open public auction.

9. Will all other liens be cleared from the property as a result of the sale?

No, all liens remain on the property and it’s the buyer's responsibility to take care of those with each entity.

10. Is there a redemption period before I can take possession once a property is acquired through your tax sale. If so, what is the redemption period?

The new owner cannot take possession of the property until 1 year from the date the confirmation of sale is filed.

11. If there is a redemption period, does the investor earn interest during the redemption period? If so, what is the annual interest rate?

There is an annual interest rate of 10% earned on the property during the redemption period.

12. If a foreclosure is necessary, will the county assist in this matter?

No, the county does not assist with foreclosures.

13. Will I receive a document to verify the purchase? Will it be a deed or a certificate of lien?

You will receive a receipt showing the amount you paid. At the end of the redemption period, the county will issue a collector’s deed.

14. Do you allow investors to invest at your tax sales without attending the tax sale?

No, we do not allow these investments.

15. Is a current list of available properties or liens available?

The available properties are published 2 to 3 weeks before the tax sale. You may obtain a copy by contacting the newspaper.

16. Is a copy of the county and state statutes and rules regarding the tax sale available for purchase?

Yes, you can get those for $5 per book in the Collector's Office.

17. Can I get a list of properties whose redemption period has already expired?

There are no properties available.

18. When will the list of unsold /unbid-on property be available?

If there is any property that wasn’t sold or bid on will be available in the next year’s tax sale. After it’s been published 3 years, it may be sold over the counter.

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Treasurer's Office

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1. Can I pay my property or real estate taxes at the Treasurer's Office?

No, the Treasurer's Office does not collect property or real estate taxes. You can pay your property or real estate taxes at the Collector's Office.

2. Can I get my car tags at the Treasurer's Office?

No, the Treasurer's Office does not administer car tags. That is the responsibility of the Missouri License Bureau, which is located behind Fazoli’s in Poplar Bluff at 2509 Three Rivers Boulevard. For more information, call 573-686-8890.

3. Can I get a property tax receipt or waiver at the Treasurer's Office?

No, you must contact the Collector's Office to get a property tax receipt or waiver. Collector Page

4. What is the sales tax rate in Butler County?

That depends on where you are shopping or doing business within Butler County.