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Educational Tours

We welcome your group to the courthouse for a tour. To learn more about the courthouses in Western Missouri, view more information from the links below.

General Information

To Schedule a Tour

About the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri In-person Educational Tours are temporarily suspended during the Whittaker Courthouse construction project. Please check back - Fall 2025
About the Christopher S. Bond Courthouse in Jefferson City, Missouri Contact Cheryl LaBrecque - cheryl_labrecque@mow.uscourts.gov at 573-659-7036
United States Courthouse - Springfield, Missouri Contact Steve Burch - steve_burch@mow.uscourts.gov at 417-225-7700

For many years, the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri has had the privilege of conducting educational tours for over 11,000 individuals from all over the states of Missouri and Kansas. Our groups have been made up of 5th grade students through college students, senior citizen groups, law firms, special summer camps, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, University Extension Centers and police cadets to name a few. Each participant has learned from this experience.

The tours are designed to help people better understand how cases get to our court and the different agencies who participate in the judicial process. We begin with 5th grade and continue through senior citizens. All speakers carefully gear their presentation to accommodate the age group. Time is allowed with each speaker for a question and answer period. Groups of all sizes can be accommodated.

The tours consist of speakers from the Clerk's Office of the U.S. District Court, an Investigative Agency (FBI, Secret Service, ATF or DEA), the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Marshal's Service.  The tour ends with a visit from a Judge in a courtroom.

There is no charge for these tours, but they do require approximately one month advance notice and most often are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. We ask that group size is no smaller than 15 and participants are no younger than 5th grade. Typically these tours begin at 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. and last approximately 2 hours. We are certain you will find these tours both educational and enlightening.

Educational Tours at the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse in Kansas City are suspended due to courthouse construction. Please check back in 2025.

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"Tours Offer Personal Viewpoint of U.S. Courthouse"
by Mark Morris, The Kansas City Star