24 April 2020

St. Louis, Mo. – In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the Supreme Court of Missouri’s administrative orders suspending most in-person proceedings in the appellate and circuit courts, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, conducted almost all its oral arguments remotely via teleconferences for its March and April cases and scheduled  more teleconferences for its May cases. The court live streamed the attorneys’ oral argument presented in-person in Gail Ingham et al. vs. Johnson & Johnson, et al., on its official Facebook page earlier today. The video of this argument is available on You Tube.

“The court has conducted approximately 20 oral arguments via teleconference thus far,” Court Administrator Douglas R. Bader said. “Feedback from attorneys has been mostly positive. The court was able to remotely conduct oral arguments for attorneys with hardly any technical glitches and avoid further delay in the submission of these appeals. The court intends to schedule twelve or more teleconferences in May.”

Throughout the pandemic, the court has remained open for business with limited staff working in its downtown office and most staff members working remotely. 
“The court’s deputy clerks continue to open new appeals, writs and election petitions; process motions, briefs and records; accept filings through the Missouri electronic filing system; and issue the court’s opinions every Tuesday morning,” Clerk of Court Laura Roy said. “Technology has allowed the court’s essential functions to continue seamlessly, and I am very proud of the staff.”

For further information concerning the status of an appeal or the court’s operations, telephone the Eastern District clerk’s office at (314) 539-4300.

Contact: Laura Roy, clerk of court
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
(314) 539-4300