1. The court of appeals established by article V of the Constitution of Missouri shall be officially known and designated as the Missouri Court of Appeals, and the three districts thereof shall be respectively denominated as the Eastern, Western, and Southern districts. 2. The judges of each district of the court of appeals shall elect from their number a chief judge, who shall be the administrative officer of the district.
Rule 82.02.Court of Appeals and Districts--Terms and Duties of Chief Judges of the Court of Appeals.
Part II · Rule 82: Terms and Duties of Chief Justice and Judges of This Court and the Court of Appeals—Designation of Court of Appeals and Districts Thereof—Duties and Other Matters Relating to the State Courts Administrator and Other Court Personnel · Last amended July 1, 2013 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 82.02 names Missouri's intermediate appellate court the Missouri Court of Appeals, divides it into Eastern, Western, and Southern districts, and has the judges of each district elect one of their own as chief judge to run that district.
Full Text of Rule 82.02
Amendment History
Adopted June 1, 1971, eff. Jan. 1, 1972. Amended June 5, 1980, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Amended Dec. 27, 2012, eff. July 1, 2013.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 82.02 gives Missouri's intermediate appellate court its official name and structure. The court of appeals established by article V of the Missouri Constitution is officially the Missouri Court of Appeals, organized into three districts named the Eastern, Western, and Southern districts.
Each district runs its own administration. The judges of each district elect a chief judge from among themselves, and that chief judge serves as the administrative officer of the district, not of the court of appeals as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three districts of the Missouri Court of Appeals?
The Eastern, Western, and Southern districts.
Who elects a district's chief judge?
The judges of that district, elected from among themselves.
What does a district's chief judge do?
Serves as the administrative officer of that district.
Where does the authority for the court of appeals districts come from?
Article V of the Missouri Constitution establishes the court of appeals; Rule 82.02 names it and its districts.
Is the chief judge elected court-wide or by district?
By district. Each district elects its own chief judge.
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: missouri court of appeals districtseastern western southern districtchief judge court of appealscourt of appeals structure missouri