Application for a writ of mandamus shall be made by filing a petition in mandamus in the appropriate court. The petition in mandamus shall contain a statement of the facts, the relief sought, and a statement of the reasons why the writ should issue. The petition in mandamus shall be accompanied by suggestions in support thereof. A copy of any order, opinion, record or part thereof, document, or other item that may be essential to an understanding of the matters set forth in the petition in prohibition shall be attached as exhibits if not set forth therein. The pages of the exhibits shall be numbered consecutively. An index of all exhibits also shall be attached. Exhibits shall be identified in the index by number or letter and page and, in addition, shall be described so that the court can distinguish the exhibits.
Rule 94.03.Petition in Mandamus--Contents--Exhibits.
Part III · Rule 94: Mandamus · Last amended January 1, 2004 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 94.03 requires a mandamus petition to be filed with supporting suggestions, to state the facts, the relief sought, and the reasons the writ should issue, and to attach any essential documents as numbered, indexed exhibits.
Full Text of Rule 94.03
Amendment History
Adopted June 5, 1980, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Amended April 25, 2003, eff. Jan. 1, 2004.
Official Comment
This is new. Compare: Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 21(a).
Plain-English Summary
Getting a mandamus case started begins with the petition. Rule 94.03 requires the relator to file the petition in the appropriate court along with suggestions in support of it, and the petition itself must lay out the facts, the relief being sought, and the reasons the writ should issue.
The rule is equally specific about exhibits. Any order, opinion, record, document, or other item essential to understanding the petition must be attached if it is not already set out in the petition itself. Exhibit pages must be numbered consecutively, and an index identifying each exhibit by number or letter, page, and description must accompany the petition so the court can find and distinguish each one without difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a mandamus petition include?
A statement of the facts, the relief sought, and the reasons the writ should issue, filed along with suggestions in support of the petition.
Do I need to attach documents to a mandamus petition?
Yes, if a document is essential to understanding the matters in the petition and is not already set out within it, Rule 94.03 requires attaching it as an exhibit.
How should exhibits be organized in a mandamus petition?
Exhibit pages must be numbered consecutively, and an index must identify each exhibit by number or letter, page, and a description that lets the court distinguish it from the others.
What are the "suggestions in support" that accompany a mandamus petition?
They are the written argument explaining why the facts and law support issuing the writ, filed together with the petition itself.
What happens if a mandamus petition is filed without an index of exhibits?
Rule 94.03 requires the index as part of a properly filed petition, so leaving it out means the filing does not meet the rule's requirements.
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: mandamus petition contentsmandamus exhibitswrit of mandamus petition Missourimandamus suggestions in support