St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Melissa Price Smith says her office is optimistic that in 2026 the county circuit court will move significantly more cases than last year—a feat that she says would be a boon to prosecutors, defense attorneys, and even people charged with crimes.
Price Smith’s plan is a logistical one: This year, the St. Louis County Circuit Court will have two grand juries a week, rather than one. Prosecutors winning an indictment from a grand jury, which is composed of regular citizens just like a normal jury, is one way to begin a case at the circuit court level. Better access to grand juries means that criminal cases can move through the system faster.
Cosigning her efforts is the presiding judge of St. Louis County Circuit Court, Bruce Hilton. The two sat down together with SLM yesterday, which was something of a rare move for a judge and prosecutor to so avidly cosigning an initiative…