The Clock On Your Case
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 545.780 — a request for a speedy trial, set as soon as reasonably possible
The request. If the defendant announces ready for trial and files a request for a speedy trial, the court sets the case for trial as soon as reasonably possible.
How it is enforced. The section is enforceable by mandamus. Failing to comply with it, or the state's failure to prosecute, is not grounds for dismissal unless the court also finds the defendant was denied the constitutional right to a speedy trial.
The constitutional right to a speedy trial runs alongside the statute and is decided on different terms; court rules, and the interstate agreement on detainers for charges in another state, are not on this page. Counting the days in a particular case, and what tolls them, is a question for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 545.780 — Speedy trial, when; failure to comply not grounds for dismissal, exception
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.