About the Buchanan County Jail
The Booking Area of the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center is part of the Buchanan County Jail complex in St. Joseph, Missouri. The facility is a local county jail and law enforcement center with an official capacity of 224 beds. Bill Puett serves as Buchanan County Sheriff.
The jail may house pretrial detainees, municipal commitments, people held on warrants, individuals detained for state parole violations, and federal immigration detainees. Agencies using the facility include the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Facility
- Booking Area of the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center
- Address
- 501 Faraon Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501
- Joint Detention and Information Line
- 816-271-5555
- Sheriff’s Office
- 816-236-8812
How the Buchanan County Inmate Search Works
The roster at the top of this page serves as the Buchanan County inmate search. Users can search by name, subject number, booking number, custody status, booking date range, or housing facility. Hyperlinked inmate names open individual profiles, and the roster provides First, Previous, numbered-page, Next, and Last navigation.
Search results may show a mugshot, name, subject number, custody status, scheduled release date, date of birth, gender, race, height, weight, and housing facility. Individual profiles may provide booking and release dates, charges, bond information, prisoner type, classification, docket number, disposition, sentence details, crime class, and the arresting agency.
The Buchanan County jail roster is a detention record covering physical custody, booking history, classification, housing, and arrest information. It is not a court docket. Missouri Case.net is the state court-case information system for available docket entries, hearing schedules, and judgments.
Custody, bond, and release information may change. Confirm important details with the jail before making payment or travel arrangements.
Posting Bond at Buchanan County Jail
The court determines the bond amount, bond type, and release conditions. Before attempting payment, call 816-271-5555 to confirm the person’s full name, current custody status, case number, bond amount, and accepted bond type.
Bond for Buchanan County Circuit Court matters may be paid at the Buchanan County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, Room 331, 411 Jules Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501. Bond payments are accepted Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Accepted payment methods include cash, cashier’s check, business check, money order, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express. Online payment is available through the Missouri State Courts payment system under “BUCHANAN COUNTY-CIRCUIT COURT-5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.â€
Separately, payments for St. Joseph Municipal Court cases may be made online through Missouri Case.net.
Surety bonds are accepted. The Buchanan County Inmate Inquiry system may display bond types including Surety, Cash, 10% Cash, and 10% C/S. Confirm the bond type listed for the individual case before submitting payment.
Sending Money to an Inmate
Call the jail at 816-271-5555 to confirm the current approved inmate-deposit instructions and any applicable requirements.
Inmate-account deposits are separate from bond payments. Payment methods accepted by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office should not be treated as approved inmate-deposit methods.
Inmate Communication
Inmates cannot receive incoming telephone calls. They may place outgoing collect or prepaid calls. Contact the joint detention and information line at 816-271-5555 to confirm the current phone-service provider and account setup instructions.
For a family emergency, contact the information line. The emergency information is verified through the St. Joseph city-county information line and delivered to the inmate by facility staff.
Visitation at Buchanan County Jail
Visitation schedules and formats may depend on facility operations, staffing, housing assignment, and inmate classification. Call 816-271-5555 before planning a visit to confirm the current schedule, whether visits are conducted in person or by video, and whether the inmate is eligible to receive visitors.
Before visiting:
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Minors may need a parent or legal guardian present.
- Follow the jail’s current dress code and conduct rules.
- Confirm whether court, transportation, discipline, medical, or classification issues affect visitation.
Buchanan County Court Information
The Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri handles criminal cases in Buchanan County. Circuit Court divisions handle felony cases, while Associate Circuit divisions handle misdemeanors and infractions.
Active criminal divisions include:
- Division 1 — Circuit: Presiding Judge Kate Schaefer
- Division 3 — Circuit: Judge Terry E. White
- Division 4 — Circuit: Judge Daniel F. Kellogg
- Division 5 — Associate: Judge Chad Gaddie
- Division 6 — Associate: Judge Rebecca Spencer
The official hearing notice, summons, docket entry, or court order controls the date, time, location, division, judge, and appearance format for an individual case.
Missouri Case.net provides public information for available circuit, associate circuit, probate, small claims, traffic, and appellate cases. Searches may be completed by case number, party or litigant name, filing date range, scheduled hearing, or judgment index after selecting a jurisdiction or judicial circuit.
Available case information may include case status, party names, attorneys of record, hearing dates, charge descriptions, final dispositions, and chronological docket entries. Case.net does not include federal cases, confidential juvenile matters, or legally sealed and closed records.
Remote public document images are limited to public documents filed on or after July 1, 2023. Earlier filings are available through courthouse terminals. Public court calendars are available through the Case.net Scheduled Hearing Search and division-specific calendars maintained by the Circuit Clerk’s Office.
- Court
- Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri
- Address
- Buchanan County Courthouse, 411 Jules Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501
- Phone
- (816) 271-1462
- Fax
- (816) 271-1538
- Judicial Circuit
- Fifth Judicial Circuit
- Circuit Clerk
- Ashley Thrasher
- Clerk Email
- ashley.thrasher@courts.mo.gov
- General Court Email
- info@5thcircuit.net