Settlement reached in case against circuit court clerk

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Greene County's circuit court clerk has agreed to end any involvement in residents' requests for protective orders as part of a settlement announced Friday.

Mike Carr, who has been circuit clerk since 1973 and starts a new term Jan. 1, was accused of discouraging people from seeking adult or child protection orders against individuals they believed were dangerous.

Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore requested a sheriff's investigation last spring and filed a petition in August to remove Carr from office for the balance of his current term, which ends Dec. 31.

Moore charged that Carr exceeded his authority by giving legal advice and in some cases refused to file residents' petitions asking a judge to issue a protective order.

The so-called quo warranto proceeding, which was to have gone to trial soon, concerned 13 actions prosecutors said Carr took during his current term and would not have applied to the new term he won in November's elections.

But the settlement commits him to certain actions as long as he holds office -- including a permanent bar on personally handling requests for protective orders.

Deputy clerks will instead be given guidance in handling such requests. Carr will work with the family court judge in preparing written guidance.

Carr also agreed to post signs immediately telling the public which courthouse office to visit when seeking protective orders and that deputy clerks will help them with forms and procedures.

He must also work with prosecutors, law enforcement and judges to create a system by Feb. 1 allowing the public to seek protective orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Such round-the-clock access is required by Missouri law.

2,000 requests

From Jan. 1 through Nov. 30, Carr said, the clerk's office processed more than 2,000 requests for protection orders. "We're sorry there was a small percentage of people who were not satisfied with our performance," Carr said.

The settlement does not include an admission of guilt, Carr said, who added that he decided to settle because the case "was expensive for my family and for the taxpayers of Greene County."

Ex-partes orders are temporary restraining orders often sought against a person who is believed to be a threat. They are good for 15 days and allow police to arrest violators.