(a) If a party requests and obtains either a change of venue or a change of judge, that party shall not be granted any additional change thereafter except for cause or under Rule 51.07. A party who desires both a change of venue and a change of judge must join and present both in a single application provided the trial judge has been designated.
Rule 51.06.Joint Application for Change of Venue and Change of Judge--When Required--Procedure.
Part I · Rule 51: Venue, Including Change of Venue and Change of Judge · Last amended April 1, 2021 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 51.06 requires a party who wants both a change of venue and a change of judge to combine the two requests into a single application once the trial judge has been designated, and it spells out how the newly assigned judge then handles the venue request.
Full Text of Rule 51.06
(b) Upon the timely presentation of an application requesting a change of venue and a change of judge and if no such application has previously been made by the requesting party or a party of the same class, the judge promptly shall sustain the application for change of judge and transfer the case in accordance with the procedures of Rule 51.05(e).
(c) The newly assigned judge shall determine the request for change of venue. If the change of venue is denied or if the change of venue is to another county in the same circuit, the newly assigned judge shall continue to be the judge in the civil action.
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973; Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Amended Sept. 29, 2020, eff April 1, 2021.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 51.06 coordinates the two separate rights created by Rules 51.02 through 51.05. A party who has already used a change of venue or a change of judge cannot get another one later except for cause or under Rule 51.07’s automatic disqualification. And a party who wants both changes at once, after the trial judge has been named, must ask for both together in one application instead of filing separate requests.
When that joint application is timely presented, and neither the requesting party nor another member of its class has previously made such a request, the judge must promptly grant the change-of-judge portion and hand the case off following the same transfer procedure used in Rule 51.05(e). The newly assigned judge then takes up the venue request. If that judge denies the change of venue, or grants a change only to another county within the same circuit, the newly assigned judge stays on the case instead of being replaced again.
The rule keeps a party from splitting one strategic move into two separate applications, and it makes sure the judge asked to rule on venue is not the same judge the party is also trying to remove.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must a party combine a change of venue and change of judge request?
When the trial judge has already been designated and the party wants both changes.
Who rules on the venue portion of a joint application?
The newly assigned judge, after the change of judge portion has been granted.
Can a party get another change of venue or judge after already using one?
Only for cause, or under the automatic disqualification in Rule 51.07.
What happens if the newly assigned judge denies the venue change?
That judge continues as the judge in the civil action.
What if the venue change is granted only to another county in the same circuit?
The newly assigned judge still continues on the case.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joint change of venue and judgecombined venue and judge applicationchange of venuechange of judgejoint application rule 51.06