2 January 2018

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – To enable spouses of military personnel stationed in Missouri to practice law while they are here – increasing legal services available to residents of the state – the Supreme Court of Missouri has adopted a new rule based on a proposal developed by the Missouri Board of Law Examiners in collaboration with The Missouri Bar.

"We believe allowing these qualified attorneys to share their legal talents with our citizens while they happen to be in our state will honor the sacrifice they make as military spouses and will serve Missourians well," Missouri Chief Justice Zel M. Fischer said in announcing the new rule during his address to the joint annual statewide meeting of attorneys and judges in September in St. Louis

Under the new rule – which took effect January 1 – lawyers with licenses in good standing from other jurisdictions, whose spouses are full-time active service members of the United States armed forces assigned by the military to permanent duty in Missouri or a contiguous state, will be allowed to apply for temporary admission to practice law in Missouri. The Missouri Board of Law Examiners' website has detailed information about the rule and the form and instructions for applying for temporary admission.