Rule 37.02 Rules - Authority for - Statutes and Ordinances Superseded

This rule explains where Rule 37 gets its power and how it fits with other laws. The Missouri Supreme Court created Rule 37 using authority given to it by the state constitution, specifically Article V, Section 5.

Because of this, Rule 37 outranks any state law, city or county ordinance, or other court rule that conflicts with it. If a statute or local law says one thing but Rule 37 says something different, Rule 37 wins. Courts handling cases about statutory or ordinance violations have to follow Rule 37 first, even if older or existing laws say otherwise.

For someone involved in a case like this, it means the procedures and standards laid out in Rule 37 are the ones that actually control what happens in court. You cannot point to a conflicting city ordinance or state statute and expect it to override this rule.