Missouri Bar Seeks Ralls County Input on Rural Legal Services

Public listening session set for Sept. 8 at Ralls County Courthouse in New London 

The Missouri Bar is inviting Ralls County residents and others throughout Northeast Missouri to share their experiences finding attorneys and obtaining legal services as part of a statewide effort to better understand the challenges facing rural communities. 
A public listening session will be held Tuesday, Sept. 8, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Ralls County Courthouse, 311 S. Main Street in New London. 
The meeting is being organized by The Missouri Bar's Special Committee on Rural Practice, which was established in 2025 to examine access to legal services throughout rural Missouri. The committee includes more than 30 attorneys from across the state and is studying where attorney shortages may exist and how those shortages affect residents who need legal assistance. 
"The Missouri Bar's mission is to improve the lives of Missourians," said Shelly Dreyer, 2024-2025 Missouri Bar president and committee co-chair. "Across Missouri, we are hearing concerns about access to legal services in rural communities. While we know there are challenges, we don't yet fully understand the scope of the issue." 
The committee is examining more than simply the number of attorneys located in each county. Among the questions being considered are whether attorneys listed in rural areas are actively practicing and available to the public, what types of legal representation are most difficult to obtain and how far residents must travel to receive assistance. 
The study is also looking toward the future as longtime rural attorneys retire and communities face challenges attracting new lawyers. 
Residents participating in the project are being asked about their own experiences, including whether they have had difficulty finding an attorney, how far they would be willing to travel for legal services and whether they would consider meeting with an attorney virtually. 
Attorneys and judges are also being surveyed as the committee examines factors that may discourage lawyers from establishing practices in smaller communities. Those factors can include the economics of operating a rural practice, student debt, technology, professional isolation and family considerations. 
The issue has a Northeast Missouri connection. Judge Corey Moon of Missouri's 2nd Judicial Circuit is one of the co-chairs of the Special Committee on Rural Practice. Moon, who serves as associate circuit judge in Lewis County, has been interested in the shortage of rural attorneys since his time in law school. Before joining the bench, he practiced law in Kirksville and served in prosecuting attorney positions in Northeast Missouri. 
Community members, local government officials, business owners, attorneys and others interested in the future of rural legal services are encouraged to attend the Sept. 8 session. 
Those who cannot attend can still participate through The Missouri Bar's online survey. Individual survey responses are anonymous. 
Information gathered from Ralls County and other communities will be used to help the committee develop a clearer picture of legal-service needs across rural Missouri. The committee is expected to continue collecting information during 2026, with findings evaluated in 2027. The results could eventually lead to recommendations for programs or policies aimed at improving access to attorneys in underserved areas. 
The Missouri Bar was created in 1944 by order of the Supreme Court of Missouri and serves approximately 30,000 practicing attorneys. Its mission includes improving the legal profession, the law and the administration of justice for Missouri residents. 
For more information about the Ralls County listening session, contact Hannah Kiddoo Frevert, communications director for The Missouri Bar, at 573-659-2294 or hkiddoo@mobar.org. 
Residents may also participate in the rural legal services survey through The Missouri Bar.