Landlord-tenant court authorized in Jackson County, jurisdiction

535.210. Landlord-tenant court authorized in Jackson County, jurisdiction — landlord-tenant commissioners, powers and qualifications — landlord-tenant court procedures. — 1. In the sixteenth judicial circuit, upon adoption of an ordinance by Jackson County providing for expenditure of county funds for such purpose, a majority of the circuit court judges, en banc, may establish a landlord-tenant court, which shall be a division of the circuit court, and may authorize the appointment of not more than two landlord-tenant court commissioners. The landlord-tenant court commissioners shall be appointed by a landlord-tenant court judicial commission consisting of the presiding judge of the circuit, who shall be the chair, one circuit judge elected by the circuit judges, one associate circuit judge elected by the associate circuit judges of the circuit, and two members appointed by the county executive of Jackson County, each of whom shall represent one of the two political parties casting the highest number of votes at the next preceding gubernatorial election. The procedures and operations of the landlord-tenant court judicial commission shall be established by circuit court rule.

2. Landlord-tenant commissioners may be authorized to hear in the first instance disputes involving landlords and their tenants. Landlord-tenant commissioners shall be authorized to make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and to issue orders for the payment of money, for the giving or taking of possession of residential property and any other equitable relief necessary to resolve disputes governed by the laws in chapters 441, 524, 534, and this chapter. Landlord-tenant commissioners may not, by ex parte means, hear cases and issue orders.

3. Landlord-tenant commissioners shall be licensed to practice law in this state and shall serve at the pleasure of a majority of the circuit and associate circuit judges, en banc, and shall be residents of Jackson County, and shall receive as annual compensation an amount equal to one-third of the annual compensation of an associate circuit judge. Landlord-tenant commissioners shall not accept or handle cases in their practice of law which are inconsistent with their duties as a landlord-tenant commissioner and shall not be a judge or prosecutor for any other court. Landlord-tenant commissioners shall not be considered state employees and shall not be members of the state employees' or judicial retirement system or be eligible to receive any other employment benefit accorded state employees or judges.

4. A majority of the judges of the circuit court, en banc, shall establish operating procedures for the landlord-tenant court. Proceedings in the landlord-tenant court, shall be conducted as in cases tried before an associate circuit judge. The hearing shall be before a landlord-tenant commissioner without jury, and the commissioner shall assume an affirmative duty to determine the merits of the evidence presented and the defenses of the defendant and may question parties and witnesses. Clerks and computer personnel shall be assigned as needed for the efficient operation of the court.

5. The parties to a cause of action before a commissioner of the landlord-tenant court are entitled to file with the court a motion for a hearing in associate circuit court within ten days after the mailing, or within ten days after service.

6. Operating procedures shall be provided for electronic recording of proceedings at county expense. Any person aggrieved by a judgment in a case decided under this section shall have a right to a trial de novo in circuit court, or an appeal to the appropriate appellate court, in the same manner as would a person aggrieved by a decision of an associate circuit judge under section 535.110. The procedures for perfecting the right of a trial de novo or an appeal shall be the same as that provided pursuant to sections 512.180 to 512.320.

7. Any summons issued for the proceedings in the landlord-tenant court shall have a return date of ten days from the date of service. Service must be attempted within four days of the date of issuance.

8. All costs to establish and operate a landlord-tenant court under this section shall be borne by Jackson County.