(a) Following a change of venue, for any reason, to a county outside the circuit from which venue was changed, the case shall be handled by a judge regularly appointed to hear cases in the new circuit, unless a judge is otherwise assigned to hear the case as authorized by article V, §§ 6 or 15 of the constitution.
Rule 51.14.Jurisdiction of Judge and Court in Civil Actions Removed.
Part I · Rule 51: Venue, Including Change of Venue and Change of Judge · Last amended January 1, 1994 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 51.14 confirms that a court receiving a case through a change of venue has full authority to hear, decide, and enforce judgment in it even if the case would not otherwise fall within its jurisdiction, and names the judge who handles a case moved to a new circuit.
Full Text of Rule 51.14
(b) The court to which any civil actions shall be transferred by change of venue shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the same, and shall proceed to final judgment and execution therein, although such civil action would not otherwise be cognizable in such court.
Amendment History
Added Nov. 15, 1974, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 51.14 removes any doubt about whether a receiving court can handle a transferred case. Subsection (b) states plainly that the transferee court has jurisdiction to hear and determine the civil action and to carry it through to final judgment and execution, even though the case would not otherwise be the kind that court normally hears. Without this provision, a change of venue could strand a case in a court that lacked authority to finish it.
Subsection (a) addresses who sits as judge when the venue change sends the case to a different circuit instead of just a different county within the same one. In that situation, a judge regularly appointed to hear cases in the new circuit takes over, unless a judge has otherwise been assigned to the case under the constitutional provisions governing judicial assignment.
Together, the two subsections make sure a change of venue is a full transfer and not a half-measure — the new court gets full power over the case, and a properly seated judge in the new circuit is the one who exercises it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the receiving court hear a case it would not normally have jurisdiction over?
Yes, Rule 51.14(b) grants that jurisdiction for a transferred civil action.
Who acts as judge when a case moves to a different circuit?
A judge regularly appointed to hear cases in the new circuit, absent a different constitutional assignment.
Does Rule 51.14 apply to venue changes within the same circuit?
Subsection (a) specifically addresses moves to a different circuit; subsection (b)’s jurisdiction grant applies broadly to transferred civil actions.
Can the new court enter a final judgment and enforce it?
Yes, the rule extends jurisdiction through final judgment and execution.
What constitutional provisions can override the default judge assignment?
Article V, section 6 or 15 of the Missouri Constitution, as referenced in the rule.
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: jurisdiction after change of venuetransferee court jurisdictionjudge in new circuit venue changevenue transfer jurisdiction