St. Louis County, Missouri

St. Louis County, MO is a large urban county located on the eastern-most side of the state. It is the heart of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county was created on October 1, 1812 as one of the first five counties in the Missouri Territory, before Missouri achieved statehood. The county is home to the largest labor force in the region, as well the largest share of the region’s housing. With more than 600,000 jobs, St. Louis County is the economic and employment hub of the region. Nearly half of the region’s employment positions are based in St. Louis County.

Covering 524 square miles, St. Louis County, MO is the largest county in Missouri. The county is bordered by St. Charles County to the north and northwest, Madison County, Illinois to the northeast, the City of St.Louis to the east, St. Clair County, Illinois and Monroe County, Illinois to the southeast, Jefferson County to the south and Franklin County to the southwest. Natural boundaries include the Missouri River, which forms the northern border with St. Charles County, and the Meramec River, which forms most of its southern border with Jefferson County. The Mississippi River and the City of St. Louis make up the eastern border.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the St. Louis County 2008 population at 991,830 residents, a 2.4% decrease from 2000. There were 435,194 households in the county with an average of 2.47 persons per household. The median household income was $56,864, higher than the state average of $45,012.

St. Louis County, Missouri is made up of 91 municipalities and nine unincorporated census-designated places, with Clayton as the county seat and hub of the county government. St. Louis County is also divided into sections for many county services. North County, including Florissant, lies north of Interstate 70, West County lies west of Interstate 270, South County lies south of Interstate 44 and Mid County, including the City of St. Louis, Clayton and University City, lies in the middle of the three main bordering highways (I-70, I-270 & I-44) and the St. Louis county-city line. In general, North County is an older suburban area, West County is considered the region's more affluent area, and South County has an almost southern culture.

Numerous hospitals serve St. Louis County, MO. They include the Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, Christian Hospital, Des Peres Hospital, Dubuis Hospital of Saint Louis, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Northwest HealthCare, Ranken Jordan, the only pediatric specialty hospital in Missouri, Shriners Hospital, St. John's Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital.

There are numerous colleges and universities in or nearby St. Louis County, Missouri: Washington University, University of Missouri, Webster University, Fontbonne University, Missouri Baptist University, Lindenwood University and Maryville University.

The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office serves the citizens of the county. The Sheriff's Office is made up of two divisions -- Bailiffs and Civil Processing. The Bailiff Division is charged with providing court security whenever court is in session. The duties of the Civil Division include service of civil process, sale of real and personal property and execution of ordered evictions. The St. Louis County Police Department was established in 1955 to serve and protect the rights of all citizens within St. Louis County, MO. The department has a strong commitment to Neighborhood Policing.

In Missouri, the counties plus the City of St. Louis are organized into 45 judicial circuits. There is a court in every county. The circuit court is typically in the county seat, or the city of St. Louis. Missouri circuit courts are divided into associate circuit, small claims, municipal, family, probate, criminal and juvenile courts. St. Louis County is the Twenty-First Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri. The main Courts Building is located in the Clayton Government Center at 7900 Carondelet Clayton, MO 63105. There are also two courtrooms and the St. Louis County Jail at the Buzz Westfall County Justice Center, at 100 S. Central Ave. Clayton, MO, 63105. Additional Family Court divisions are located in the Family Court Center at 501 South Brentwood Clayton, MO 63105.

The Criminal Justice System in Missouri has been experiencing the results of the many mental hospitals and institutions closing throughout the state. In order to address this problem, a Municipal Mental Health Court was established in August, 2001 to address the unique concerns of the mentally ill. The St. Louis County Municipal Mental Health Court programs are voluntary for persons with misdemeanor or county ordinance charges that are experiencing mental illness or addictive disorders.