(a) Upon the court’s own motion or upon motion of any party, the court may permit jurors to submit questions to witnesses. The Court shall resolve any such motion before the jury is impanelled.
Rule 69.04.Juror Questions.
Part I · Rule 69: Trial by Jury · Last amended July 1, 2004 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 69.04 lets a court permit jurors to submit written, anonymous questions to witnesses after the parties finish their own examination, subject to a decision made before the jury is impaneled, party objections outside the jury's hearing, and a possible cap on the number of questions.
Full Text of Rule 69.04
(b) If the court permits jurors to submit questions:
(1) The court shall instruct the jurors:
(A) On the procedure to be followed for asking such questions; and
(B) That no adverse inference is to be drawn against any party if any juror question is not allowed:
(2) After all parties have completed examination of each witness, any juror may submit written, anonymous questions;
(3) All parties shall be given an opportunity outside the hearing of the jurors to object to the substance or the form of any question;
(4) The court may limit the number of questions;
(5) The court may revise any question’s form and shall read the question to the witness or the parties may stipulate to the answer; and
(6) The court may allow any party to ask follow-up questions after considerationof the juror questions.
Amendment History
Adopted Nov. 5, 2003, eff. July 1, 2004.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 69.04 opens the door to juror participation beyond note-taking: the court, on its own motion or a party's motion, may let jurors submit questions to witnesses. That decision has to be made before the jury is impaneled, so the parties know from the outset whether juror questions will be part of the trial.
If the court allows the practice, the rule spells out the mechanics. Jurors must be instructed on the procedure for asking questions and told that no adverse inference should be drawn against any party if a juror's question isn't allowed. After all parties finish examining a witness, any juror may submit a written, anonymous question. The parties get an opportunity, outside the jury's hearing, to object to the substance or form of a question, and the court may limit how many questions are asked or revise a question's form before reading it to the witness — or the parties can stipulate to an answer instead. The court may also allow the parties to ask follow-up questions after the juror's question has been considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can jurors ask questions of witnesses in a Missouri civil trial?
Only if the court permits it, either on its own motion or a party's motion, and that decision must be resolved before the jury is impaneled.
Are jurors identified when they submit a question?
No, juror questions are submitted in writing and anonymously.
Do the parties get a chance to object to a juror's question?
Yes, all parties get an opportunity outside the jury's hearing to object to the substance or form of any juror question.
Can the court limit how many questions jurors ask?
Yes, the court may limit the number of questions.
Can lawyers ask follow-up questions after a juror's question is answered?
Yes, the court may allow any party to ask follow-up questions after the juror questions have been considered.
Is the jury told anything if the court disallows a juror's question?
Yes, the court must instruct jurors that no adverse inference is to be drawn against any party if a juror question isn't allowed.
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: juror questions to witnessesanonymous juror questionsobjecting to a juror's questioncan jurors question witnesseswritten juror questions procedure