Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 211

Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 211
in effect

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.011 Purpose of law - how construed.

211.011. Purpose of law — how construed. — The purpose of this chapter is to facilitate the care, protection and discipline of children who come within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. This chapter shall be liberally construed, therefore, to the end that each child coming within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall receive such care, guidance and control as will conduce to the child's welfare and the best interests of the state, and that when such child is removed from the control of his parents the court shall secure for him care as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given him by them. The child welfare policy of this state is what is in the best interests of the child. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.010, A.L. 1995 H.B. 232 & 485 merged with S.B. 174) (1968) Procedure of juvenile court which resulted in commitment to state training school did not violate constitutional protection as set forth by U.S. Supreme Court in the case of application of Gault. Ex parte de Grace (A.), 425 S.W.2d 228. (1972) Missouri's Juvenile Act is rooted in the concept of parens patriae and the functions of a juvenile officer and a prosecuting attorney are so inherently conflicting that proper administration of the Juvenile Act does not allow these functions to be exercised by a person holding both offices. Thus, juvenile court, located in county in judicial circuit comprised only of counties of the third class, was without jurisdiction to proceed on petition filed by such juvenile officer. In re F_______ C_______(A.), 484 S.W.2d 21. (1977) Jurisdiction of divorce or dissolution of marriage remains in circuit court where it was filed but jurisdictions of cause as it relates to child custody may in some instances be superseded by juvenile court. Ex parte J.A.P. (A.), 546 S.W.2d 806.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.012 Status as child determined by then-existing law at time of alleged offense ...

211.012. Status as child determined by then-existing law at time of alleged offense for juvenile court jurisdiction and incarceration purposes. — For purposes of this chapter, section 221.044 , and the original jurisdiction of the juvenile court, a person shall not be considered a child if, at the time the alleged offense or violation was committed, the person was considered an adult according to then-existing law. (L. 2021 S.B. 53 & 60) Effective 7-14-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.021 Definitions.

211.021. Definitions. — As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Adult" means a person eighteen years of age or older; (2) "Child" means any person under eighteen years of age; (3) "Juvenile court" means the juvenile division or divisions of the circuit court of the county, or judges while hearing juvenile cases assigned to them; (4) "Legal custody" means the right to the care, custody and control of a child and the duty to provide food, clothing, shelter, ordinary medical care, education, treatment and discipline of a child. Legal custody may be taken from a parent only by court action and if the legal custody is taken from a parent without termination of parental rights, the parent's duty to provide support continues even though the person having legal custody may provide the necessities of daily living; (5) "Parent" means either a natural parent or a parent by adoption and if the child is illegitimate, "parent" means the mother; (6) "Shelter care" means the temporary care of juveniles in physically unrestricting facilities pending final court disposition. These facilities may include: (a) "Foster home" , the private home of foster parents providing twenty-four-hour care to one to three children unrelated to the foster parents by blood, marriage or adoption; (b) "Group foster home" , the private home of foster parents providing twenty-four-hour care to no more than six children unrelated to the foster parents by blood, marriage or adoption; (c) "Group home" , a child care facility which approximates a family setting, provides access to community activities and resources, and provides care to no more than twelve children. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.020 , A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21 (1979) Statutory enactment readopting discriminatory language which exempts fathers of illegitimate children from definition of "parent", but not limited to the purpose of annulling juvenile court rule that changed definition of "parent", did not annul or amend court rule. Miller v. Russell (A.), 593 S.W.2d 598.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.023 Juvenile court commissioner, appointment, where, term, compensation.

211.023. Juvenile court commissioner, appointment, where, term, compensation. — In each county of the first class having a charter form of government, except those counties having a family court as provided in sections 487.010 to 487.190 , a majority of the circuit judges, en banc, may appoint one or two persons who shall have the same qualifications as a circuit judge to act as commissioners. The commissioners shall be appointed for a term of four years. The compensation of a commissioner shall be the same as set by law for associate circuit judges of the county for which they are appointed, payable by the state, and the commissioners shall devote full time to such duties. (L. 1967 p. 332 § 1, A.L. 1972 H.B. 1331, A.L. 1973 H.B. 668, A.L. 1977 S.B. 121, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1993 H.B. 346) Revisor's Note: Salary adjustment index is printed, as required by § 476.405, in Appendix D.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.025 Judge may direct any case be heard by commissioner (counties of the first ...

211.025. Judge may direct any case be heard by commissioner (counties of the first class and St. Louis City). — The judge of the juvenile court may direct that any case shall be heard in the first instance by a commissioner in the manner provided for the hearing of cases by the court. (L. 1967 p. 332 § 2, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.027 Findings of commissioner, how submitted - notice of right to file motion ...

211.027. Findings of commissioner, how submitted — notice of right to file motion for rehearing, how given. — Upon the conclusion of the hearing in each case the commissioner shall transmit to the judge all papers relating to the case, together with his findings and recommendations in writing. Notice of the findings of the commissioner, together with a statement relative to the right to file a motion for rehearing, shall be given to the minor, parents, guardian or custodian of the minor whose case has been heard by the commissioner, and to any other person that the court may direct. This notice may be given at the hearing, or by certified mail or other service directed by the court. (L. 1967 p. 332 § 3, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.029 Rehearing, motion filed when - judge may sustain or deny - commissioner's ...

211.029. Rehearing, motion filed when — judge may sustain or deny — commissioner's finding final, when. — The minor and his parents, guardian or custodian are entitled to file with the court a motion for a hearing by a judge of the juvenile court within fifteen days after receiving notice of the findings of the commissioner. In cases in which the juvenile court has jurisdiction pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the juvenile officer, in addition to the parties listed above, is also entitled to file with the court a motion for a hearing by a judge of the juvenile court within fifteen days after receiving notice of the findings of the commissioner. The judge shall promptly rule on such motion and, in his discretion, may either sustain or deny the motion, and if the motion is sustained, the judge shall set a date for a hearing. If the motion is denied, or if no such motion is filed, the findings and recommendations of the commissioner shall become the decree of the court when adopted and confirmed by an order of the judge. The final order of the court shall, in any event, be proof of such adoption and confirmation and also of the fact that the matter was duly referred to the commissioner. (L. 1967 p. 332 § 4, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.031 Juvenile court to have exclusive jurisdiction, when - exceptions - home ...

211.031. Juvenile court to have exclusive jurisdiction, when — exceptions — home school or FPE school, attendance violations, how treated. — 1. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the juvenile court or the family court in circuits that have a family court as provided in chapter 487 shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in proceedings: (1) Involving any child who may be a resident of or found within the county and who is alleged to be in need of care and treatment because: (a) The parents, or other persons legally responsible for the care and support of the child, neglect or refuse to provide proper support, education which is required by law, medical, surgical or other care necessary for his or her well-being; except that reliance by a parent, guardian or custodian upon remedial treatment other than medical or surgical treatment for a child shall not be construed as neglect when the treatment is recognized or permitted pursuant to the laws of this state; (b) The child is otherwise without proper care, custody or support; (c) The child was living in a room, building or other structure at the time such dwelling was found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a public nuisance pursuant to section 195.130 * ; or (d) The child is in need of mental health services and the parent, guardian or custodian is unable to afford or access appropriate mental health treatment or care for the child; (2) Involving any child who may be a resident of or found within the county and who is alleged to be in need of care and treatment because: (a) The child while subject to compulsory school attendance is repeatedly and without justification absent from school; (b) The child disobeys the reasonable and lawful directions of his or her parents or other custodian and is beyond their control; (c) The child is habitually absent from his or her home without sufficient cause, permission, or justification; (d) The behavior or associations of the child are otherwise injurious to his or her welfare or to the welfare of others; or (e) The child is charged with an offense not classified as criminal, or with an offense applicable only to children; except that, the juvenile court shall not have jurisdiction over any child fifteen years of age who is alleged to have violated a state or municipal traffic ordinance or regulation, the violation of which does not constitute a felony, or any child who is alleged to have violated a state or municipal ordinance or regulation prohibiting possession or use of any tobacco product; (3) Involving any child who is alleged to have violated a state law or municipal ordinance, or any person who is alleged to have violated a state law or municipal ordinance prior to attaining the age of eighteen years, in which cases jurisdiction may be taken by the court of the circuit in which the violation is alleged to have occurred, except as provided in subsection 2 of this section; except that, the juvenile court shall not have jurisdiction over any child fifteen years of age who is alleged to have violated a state or municipal traffic ordinance or regulation, the violation of which does not constitute a felony, and except that the juvenile court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the municipal court over any child who is alleged to have violated a municipal curfew ordinance, and except that the juvenile court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit court on any child who is alleged to have violated a state or municipal ordinance or regulation prohibiting possession or use of any tobacco product; (4) For the adoption of a person; (5) For the commitment of a child to the guardianship of the department of social services as provided by law; (6) Involving an order of protection pursuant to chapter 455 when the respondent is less than eighteen years of age; and (7) Involving a child who has been a victim of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation. 2. Transfer of a matter, proceeding, jurisdiction or supervision for a child who resides in a county of this state shall be made as follows: (1) Prior to the filing of a petition and upon request of any party or at the discretion of the juvenile officer, the matter in the interest of a child may be transferred by the juvenile officer, with the prior consent of the juvenile officer of the receiving court, to the county of the child's residence or the residence of the person eighteen years of age for future action; (2) Upon the motion of any party or on its own motion prior to final disposition on the pending matter, the court in which a proceeding is commenced may transfer the proceeding of a child to the court located in the county of the child's residence, or the county in which the offense pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of this section is alleged to have occurred for further action; (3) Upon motion of any party or on its own motion, the court in which jurisdiction has been taken pursuant to subsection 1 of this section may at any time thereafter transfer jurisdiction of a child to the court located in the county of the child's residence for further action with the prior consent of the receiving court; (4) Upon motion of any party or upon its own motion at any time following a judgment of disposition or treatment pursuant to section 211.181 , the court having jurisdiction of the cause may place the child under the supervision of another juvenile court within or without the state pursuant to section 210.570 with the consent of the receiving court; (5) Upon motion of any child or his or her parent, the court having jurisdiction shall grant one change of judge pursuant to Missouri supreme court rules; (6) Upon the transfer of any matter, proceeding, jurisdiction or supervision of a child, certified copies of all legal and social documents and records pertaining to the case on file with the clerk of the transferring juvenile court shall accompany the transfer. 3. In any proceeding involving any child taken into custody in a county other than the county of the child's residence, the juvenile court of the county of the child's residence shall be notified of such taking into custody within seventy-two hours. 4. When an investigation by a juvenile officer pursuant to this section reveals that the only basis for action involves an alleged violation of section 167.031 involving a child who alleges to be receiving instruction at a home school or an FPE school, the juvenile officer shall contact a parent or parents of such child to verify that the child is receiving instruction at such school and not in violation of section 167.031 before making a report of such a violation. Any report of a violation of section 167.031 made by a juvenile officer regarding a child who is receiving instruction at a home school or an FPE school shall be made to the prosecuting attorney of the county where the child legally resides. 5. The disability or disease of a parent shall not constitute a basis for a determination that a child is a child in need of care or for the removal of custody of a child from the parent without a specific showing that there is a causal relation between the disability or disease and harm to the child. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.030, A.L. 1976 S.B. 511, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512, A.L. 1983 S.B. 368, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1990 H.B. 1030, A.L. 1991 H.B. 202 & 364, A.L. 1993 H.B. 346, A.L. 1999 S.B. 1, et al., A.L. 2002 S.B. 923, et al., A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453 merged with S.B. 945 and S.B. 803 & 1257 merged with S.B. 1211, A.L. 2005 H.B. 353, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 604 merged with H.B. 648 merged with S.B. 320, A.L. 2012 H.B. 1171 merged with S.B. 628 merged with S.B. 636, A.L. 2016 H.B. 1877, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2022 S.B. 775, et al., A.L. 2024 S.B. 727 merged with S.B. 754, et al.) *Section 195.130 was transferred to section 579.105 by S.B. 491, 2014, and H.B. 1371, 2014, effective 1-01-17.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.032 Child abuse and neglect hearings, when held, procedure - supreme court ...

211.032. Child abuse and neglect hearings, when held, procedure — supreme court rules to be promulgated — transfer of school records, when. — 1. Except as otherwise provided in a circuit participating in a pilot project established by the Missouri supreme court, when a child, alleged to be in need of care and treatment pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , is taken into custody, the juvenile or family court shall notify the parties of the right to have a protective custody hearing. Such notification shall be in writing. 2. Upon request from any party, the court shall hold a protective custody hearing. Such hearing shall be held within three days of the request for a hearing, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. For circuits participating in a pilot project established by the Missouri supreme court, the parties shall be notified at the status conference of their right to request a protective custody hearing. 3. No later than February 1, 2005, the Missouri supreme court shall require a mandatory court proceeding to be held within three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, in all cases under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . The Missouri supreme court shall promulgate rules for the implementation of such mandatory court proceedings and may consider recommendations from any pilot projects established by the Missouri supreme court regarding such proceedings. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the Missouri supreme court from expanding pilot projects prior to the implementation of this subsection. 4. The court shall hold an adjudication hearing no later than sixty days after the child has been taken into custody. The court shall notify the parties in writing of the specific date, time, and place of such hearing. If at such hearing the court determines that sufficient cause exists for the child to remain in the custody of the state, the court shall conduct a dispositional hearing no later than ninety days after the child has been taken into custody and shall conduct review hearings regarding the reunification efforts made by the division every ninety to one hundred twenty days for the first year the child is in the custody of the division. After the first year, review hearings shall be held as necessary, but in no event less than once every six months for as long as the child is in the custody of the division. 5. At all hearings held pursuant to this section the court may receive testimony and other evidence relevant to the necessity of detaining the child out of the custody of the parents, guardian or custodian. 6. By January 1, 2005, the supreme court shall develop rules regarding the effect of untimely hearings. 7. If the placement of any child in the custody of the children's division will result in the child attending a school other than the school the child was attending when taken into custody: (1) The child's records from such school shall automatically be forwarded to the school that the child is transferring to upon notification within two business days by the division; or (2) Upon request of the foster family, the guardian ad litem, the child's counsel, or the volunteer advocate and whenever possible, the child shall be permitted to continue to attend the same school that the child was enrolled in and attending at the time the child was taken into custody by the division. The division, in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education, shall establish the necessary procedures to implement the provisions of this subsection. (L. 1995 S.B. 174, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2025 H.B. 737 & 486 merged with S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.033 Detention for violation of traffic ordinances - no civil or criminal ...

211.033. Detention for violation of traffic ordinances — no civil or criminal liability created. — 1. No person under the age of eighteen years, except those transferred to the court of general jurisdiction under the provisions of section 211.071 , shall be detained in a jail or other adult detention facility as that term is defined in section 211.151 . 2. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating any civil or criminal liability for any law enforcement officer, juvenile officer, school personnel, or court personnel for any action taken or failure to take any action involving a minor child who remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under this section if such action or failure to take action is based on a good faith belief by such officer or personnel that the minor child is not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. (L. 1989 S.B. 163 § 1, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2025 S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.034 Extension of juvenile court jurisdiction permitted, when - procedure - ...

211.034. Extension of juvenile court jurisdiction permitted, when — procedure — immunity from liability for certain persons, when — expiration date. — 1. Any parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of a minor child may, at any time after the minor child attains fifteen years of age and before the minor child attains eighteen years of age, petition the circuit court for the county where the minor child and parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the minor child reside to extend the jurisdiction of the juvenile court until the minor child reaches the age of eighteen years. 2. The petition shall be accompanied by verified proof of service on the minor child and certified copies of documents demonstrating that the petitioner is the parent, legal guardian, or other legal custodian of the minor child. If the petitioner is not the natural parent of the minor child, the petition shall be accompanied by: (1) An affidavit from at least one of the child's natural parents consenting to the granting of the petition; or (2) An affidavit from the petitioner stating that the natural parents: (a) Are deceased; (b) Have been declared legally incompetent; (c) Have had their parental rights as to the minor child terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction; (d) Have voluntarily surrendered their parental rights as to the minor child; (e) Have abandoned the minor child; (f) Are unknown; or (g) Are otherwise unavailable, in which case, the affidavit shall state the reasons why the natural parents are unavailable. In all cases where any parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of a minor child petitions the court to extend the jurisdiction of the juvenile court until the minor child's eighteenth birthday, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the minor child. An individual filing the petition shall pay the attorney fees of the minor child. 3. Upon the filing of a petition under this section and a determination by the court in favor of the petitioner, the circuit court shall issue an order declaring that the minor child shall remain under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for all purposes under state law until the minor child reaches eighteen years of age; except that, for purposes of criminal law and procedure, including arrest, prosecution, trial, and punishment, if the minor is certified as an adult, the minor shall remain a certified adult despite the issuance of a court order under this section. Such minor child shall be subject to the compulsory school attendance requirements of section 167.031 until the minor child receives a high school diploma or its equivalent, or reaches eighteen years of age. The court order shall be filed with the circuit clerk for the county where the petitioner resides. 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating any civil or criminal liability for any law enforcement officer, juvenile officer, school personnel, or court personnel for any action taken or failure to take any action involving a minor child who remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under this section if such action or failure to take action is based on a good faith belief by such officer or personnel that the minor child is not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. * 5. The provisions of this section shall expire when the amendments to subsection 1 of section 211.021 take effect in accordance with subsection 2 of section 211.021 . (L. 2006 H.B. 1182, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550) * Revisor's Note: Section 211.021 was amended by S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, 2018, to repeal subsection 2 of section 211.021, effective 1-01-21.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.036 Custody of released youth may be returned to children's division, when - ...

211.036. Custody of released youth may be returned to children's division, when — factors considered by court — termination of care and supervision before 21, when — appointment of GAL, when — hearings, when held. — 1. If a youth under the age of twenty-one is released from the custody of the children's division and after such release it appears that it would be in such youth's best interest to have his or her custody returned to the children's division, the juvenile officer, the children's division or the youth may petition the court to return custody of such youth to the division until the youth is twenty-one years of age. The petition shall be filed in the court that previously exercised authority over the youth under section 211.031 , in the court in the county where the youth resides, or in the court of an adjacent county. In deciding if it is in the best interests of the youth to be returned to the custody of the children's division under this section, the court shall consider the following factors: (1) The circumstances of the youth; (2) Whether the children's division has services or programs in place that will benefit the youth and assist the youth in transitioning to self-sufficiency; and (3) Whether the youth has the commitment to fully cooperate with the children's division in developing and implementing a case plan. The court shall not return a youth to the custody of the children's division who has been committed to the custody of another agency; who is under a legal guardianship; or who has pled guilty to or been found guilty of a felony criminal offense. 2. The youth shall cooperate with the case plan developed for the youth by the children's division in consultation with the youth. 3. For purposes of this section, a "youth" is any person eighteen years of age or older and under twenty-one years of age who was in the custody of the children's division in foster care at any time in the two-year period preceding the youth's eighteenth birthday. 4. The court may, upon motion of the children's division or the youth, terminate care and supervision before the youth's twenty-first birthday if the court finds the children's division does not have services available for the youth, the youth no longer needs services, or if the youth declines to cooperate with the case plan. 5. The youth, at the youth's discretion, may request to be appointed a guardian ad litem. If a guardian ad litem is appointed, he or she shall serve under section 210.160 . 6. The court shall hold review hearings as necessary, but in no event less than once every six months for as long as the youth is in the custody of the children's division. (L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2013 S.B. 205 merged with S.B. 208, A.L. 2016 H.B. 1877)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.037 Nonoffending parent, child returned to custody of, when.

211.037. Nonoffending parent, child returned to custody of, when. — 1. For purposes of proceedings and investigations conducted pursuant to this chapter, children shall be promptly returned to the care and custody of a nonoffending parent entitled to physical custody of the child if: (1) The parents have continuously maintained joint domicile for a period of at least six months prior to the alleged incident or the parents are maintaining separate households; and (2) A preponderance of the evidence indicates that only one of the parents is the subject of an investigation of abuse or neglect; and (3) The nonoffending parent does not have a history of criminal behavior, drug or alcohol abuse, child abuse or child neglect, domestic violence, or stalking within the past five years; and (4) The parents are maintaining joint domicile and the offending parent is removed from the home voluntarily or involuntarily, or the parents live separately and the child is removed from the home of the offending parent; and (5) A nonoffending parent requests custody of the child and agrees to cooperate with any orders of the court limiting contact or establishing visitation with the offending parent and the nonoffending parent complies with such orders. When the parents maintain joint domicile or comply with court-ordered visitation, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the nonoffending parent has not committed any violation of section 568.030 , 568.032 , 568.045 , 568.050 , or 568.060 , or has not engaged in any conduct that would constitute child abuse or neglect under chapter 210 . In order to rebut the presumption there must be a finding of actual harm or endangerment to the child if the child is placed in the custody of the nonoffending parent. 2. Nothing in this section shall prevent the division or the court from exercising its discretion to return a child or children to the custody of any individual. (L. 2004 H.B. 1453 § 1, A.L. 2005 H.B. 568)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.038 Children not to be reunited with parents or placed in a home, when - ...

211.038. Children not to be reunited with parents or placed in a home, when — discretion to return, when. — 1. A child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall not be reunited with a parent or placed in a home in which the parent or any person residing in the home has been found guilty of any of the following offenses when a child was the victim: (1) A felony violation of section 566.030 , 566.031 , 566.032 , 566.060 , 566.061 , 566.062 , 566.064 , 566.067 , 566.068 , 566.069 , 566.071 , 566.083 , 566.100 , 566.101 , 566.111 , 566.151 , 566.203 , 566.206 , 566.209 , 566.211 , or 566.215 ; (2) A violation of section 568.020 ; (3) Abuse of a child under section 568.060 when such abuse is sexual in nature; (4) A violation of section 568.065 ; (5) A violation of section 573.200 ; (6) A violation of section 573.205 ; or (7) A violation of section 568.175 ; (8) A violation of section 566.040 , 566.070 , or 566.090 as such sections existed prior to August 28, 2013; or (9) A violation of section 566.212 , 568.080 , or 568.090 as such sections existed prior to January 1, 2017. 2. For all other violations of offenses in chapters 566 and 568 not specifically listed in subsection 1 of this section or for a violation of an offense committed in another state when a child is the victim that would be a violation of chapter 566 or 568 if committed in Missouri, the juvenile court may exercise its discretion regarding the placement of a child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in a home in which a parent or any person residing in the home has been found guilty of, or pled guilty to, any such offense. 3. If the juvenile court determines that a child has abused another child, such abusing child shall be prohibited from returning to or residing in any residence located within one thousand feet of the residence of the abused child, or any child care facility or school that the abused child attends, until the abused child reaches eighteen years of age. The prohibitions of this subsection shall not apply where the alleged abuse occurred between siblings or children living in the same home. (L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2005 H.B. 568 merged with S.B. 155 merged with S.B. 420 & 344, A.L. 2005 1st Ex. Sess. H.B. 2, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1371) Effective 1-01-17

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.041 Continuing jurisdiction over child, exception, eighteen-year-old violating ...

211.041. Continuing jurisdiction over child, exception, eighteen-year-old violating state or municipal laws. — When jurisdiction over the person of a child has been acquired by the juvenile court under the provisions of this chapter in proceedings coming within the applicable provisions of section 211.031 , the jurisdiction of the child may be retained for the purpose of this chapter until he or she has attained the age of twenty-one years, except in cases where he or she is committed to and received by the division of youth services, unless jurisdiction has been returned to the committing court by provisions of chapter 219 through requests of the court to the division of youth services and except in any case where he or she has not paid an assessment imposed in accordance with section 211.181 or in cases where the judgment for restitution entered in accordance with section 211.185 has not been satisfied. Every child over whose person the juvenile court retains jurisdiction shall be prosecuted under the general law for any violation of a state law or of a municipal ordinance which he or she commits after he or she becomes eighteen years of age. The juvenile court shall have no jurisdiction with respect to any such violation and, so long as it retains jurisdiction of the child, shall not exercise its jurisdiction in such a manner as to conflict with any other court's jurisdiction as to any such violation. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.060 , A.L. 1969 H.B. 227, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1993 S.B. 88, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.051 Jurisdiction as to custody of child not exclusive.

211.051. Jurisdiction as to custody of child not exclusive. — Nothing contained in this chapter deprives other courts of the right to determine the legal custody of children upon writs of habeas corpus or to determine the legal custody or guardianship of children when the legal custody or guardianship is incidental to the determination of causes pending in other courts. Such questions, however, may be certified by another court to the juvenile court for hearing, determination or recommendation. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.040) (1974) Where juvenile court assumed jurisdiction over child and made award of custody such jurisdiction excludes any other court of concurrent jurisdiction from adjudicating custody in a habeas corpus proceeding. State ex rel. McCarty v. Kimberlin (A.), 508 S.W.2d 196.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.059 Rights of child when taken into custody (Miranda warning) - rights of child ...

211.059. Rights of child when taken into custody (Miranda warning) — rights of child in custody in abuse and neglect cases. — 1. When a child is taken into custody by a juvenile officer or law enforcement official, with or without a warrant for an offense in violation of the juvenile code or the general law which would place the child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the child shall be advised, orally and in writing, prior to questioning: (1) That the child has the right to remain silent; (2) That any statement the child does make to anyone can be and may be used against the child in subsequent juvenile court proceedings; (3) That the child has a right to have a parent, guardian or custodian present during questioning; (4) That the child has a right to consult with an attorney and that one will be appointed and paid for him if he cannot afford one; (5) That the child has the right to stop talking at any time; and (6) That any statement the child does make to law enforcement can be and may be used against the child if the child is transferred to a court of general jurisdiction to be prosecuted under the general law. 2. The juvenile officer shall halt or discontinue any questioning by law enforcement upon notice from the child that the child wishes to stop being questioned. 3. The juvenile officer shall ensure a child is advised of the limited role of the juvenile officer during questioning by law enforcement and specifically advise the child that the juvenile officer is not legal counsel for the child or an advocate for the child during questioning by law enforcement. 4. The juvenile officer shall not participate in the questioning by law enforcement by asking any questions or soliciting any information from the child regarding the alleged offense or offenses. 5. When a child is taken into custody by a juvenile officer or law enforcement official which places the child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , including any interactions with the child by the children's division, the following shall apply: (1) If the child indicates in any manner at any stage during questioning involving the alleged abuse and neglect that the child does not wish to be questioned any further on the allegations, or that the child wishes to have his or her parent, legal guardian, or custodian if such parent, guardian, or custodian is not the alleged perpetrator, or his or her attorney present during questioning as to the alleged abuse, the questioning of the child shall cease on the alleged abuse and neglect until such a time that the child does not object to talking about the alleged abuse and neglect unless the interviewer has reason to believe that the parent, legal guardian, or custodian is acting to protect the alleged perpetrator. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent the asking of any questions necessary for the care, treatment, or placement of a child; and (2) Notwithstanding any prohibition of hearsay evidence, all video or audio recordings of any meetings, interviews, or interrogations of a child shall be presumed admissible as evidence in any court or administrative proceeding involving the child if the following conditions are met: (a) Such meetings, interviews, or interrogations of the child are conducted by the state prior to or after the child is taken into the custody of the state; and (b) Such video or audio recordings were made prior to the adjudication hearing in the case. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the videotaping or audiotaping of any such meetings, interviews, or interrogations of a child after the adjudication hearing; and (3) Only upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that such a video or audio recording lacks sufficient indicia of reliability shall such recording be inadmissible. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to statements admissible under section 491.075 or 492.304 in criminal proceedings. (L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2017 S.B. 160) (2016) Section requires law enforcement officers to give a juvenile the specified warnings before engaging in a custodial interrogation, even if the circumstances would otherwise fall within the "public safety" exception. In Interest of J.L.H., 488 S.W.3d 689 (Mo.App.W.D.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.061 Arrested child taken before juvenile court - transfer of prosecution to ...

211.061. Arrested child taken before juvenile court — transfer of prosecution to juvenile court — limitations on detention of juvenile — detention hearing, notice. — 1. When a child is taken into custody with or without warrant for an offense, the child, together with any information concerning the child and the personal property found in the child's possession, shall be taken immediately and directly before the juvenile court or delivered to the juvenile officer or person acting for the child. 2. If any person is taken before a circuit or associate circuit judge not assigned to juvenile court or a municipal judge, and it is then, or at any time thereafter, ascertained that he or she was under the age of eighteen years at the time he or she is alleged to have committed the offense, or that he or she is subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as provided by this chapter, it is the duty of the judge forthwith to transfer the case or refer the matter to the juvenile court, and direct the delivery of such person, together with information concerning him or her and the personal property found in his or her possession, to the juvenile officer or person acting as such. 3. When the juvenile court is informed that a child is in detention it shall examine the reasons therefor and shall immediately: (1) Order the child released; or (2) Order the child continued in detention until a detention hearing is held. An order to continue the child in detention shall only be entered upon the filing of a petition or motion to modify and a determination by the court that probable cause exists to believe that the child has committed acts specified in the petition or motion that bring the child within the jurisdiction of the court under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . 4. A juvenile shall not remain in detention for a period greater than twenty-four hours unless the court orders a detention hearing. If such hearing is not held within three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, the juvenile shall be released from detention unless the court for good cause orders the hearing continued. The detention hearing shall be held within the judicial circuit at a date, time and place convenient to the court. Notice of the date, time and place of a detention hearing, and of the right to counsel, shall be given to the juvenile and his or her custodian in person, by telephone, or by such other expeditious method as is available. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.050 , A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.063 Secure detention, limitations - probable cause hearing required, when - ...

211.063. Secure detention, limitations — probable cause hearing required, when — definitions — application of law. — 1. A child accused of violating the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 shall not be held in a secure detention placement for a period greater than twenty-four hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, unless the court finds pursuant to a probable cause hearing held within that twenty-four-hour period, that the child has violated the conditions of a valid court order and that: (1) The child has a record of willful failure to appear at juvenile court proceedings; or (2) The child has a record of violent conduct resulting in physical injury to self or others; or (3) The child has a record of leaving a court-ordered placement, other than secure detention, without permission. 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Secure detention" , any public or private residential facility used for the temporary placement of any child if such facility includes construction fixtures designed to physically restrict the movements and activities of children held in the lawful custody of such facility; (2) "Valid court order" , an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction regarding a child who has been brought before the court, which sets forth specific conditions of behavior for the child and consequences of violations of such conditions. 3. This section shall not apply: (1) To a child who has been taken under the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 ; or (2) To a child who was adjudicated pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 after being taken under the jurisdiction of the court; or (3) To a child who is currently charged with a violation under subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . (L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1993 S.B. 88)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.068 Copy of motion for certification as adult to be provided to prosecuting ...

211.068. Copy of motion for certification as adult to be provided to prosecuting attorney — access to records — testimony of prosecutor. — Upon the filing of a motion to dismiss the petition pursuant to section 211.071 to allow prosecution under the general law, the juvenile officer shall provide the prosecuting or circuit attorney who has jurisdiction with a copy of such motion. The prosecuting or circuit attorney shall have access to police reports, reports of the juvenile/deputy juvenile officer, statements of witnesses and all other records or reports relating to the offense alleged to have been committed by the child. The prosecuting or circuit attorney shall have access to the disposition records of the child when the child has been adjudicated pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . The prosecuting or circuit attorney shall have the right to be present at the hearing and testify as to the likelihood of prosecution under the general law in the event the court dismisses the petition thereby allowing prosecution under the general law. No testimony given by the prosecutor may be used as evidence in any subsequent stage of the juvenile or criminal case. (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.069 Citation of law.

211.069. Citation of law. — Sections 211.071 and 211.073 shall be known and may be cited as "Jonathan's Law". (L. 2013 S.B. 36)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.071 Certification of juvenile for trial as adult - procedure - mandatory ...

211.071. Certification of juvenile for trial as adult — procedure — mandatory hearing, certain offenses — misrepresentation of age, effect — report — dismissal order. — 1. If a petition or motion to modify alleges that a child between the ages of fourteen and eighteen has committed an offense that would be considered a felony if committed by an adult, the court may, upon its own motion or upon motion by the juvenile officer, the child, or the child's custodian, order a hearing and may, in its discretion, dismiss the petition or motion to modify and such child may be transferred to the court of general jurisdiction and prosecuted under the general law; except that, if a petition alleges that a child between the ages of twelve and eighteen has committed an offense that would be considered first degree murder under section 565.020 , second degree murder under section 565.021 , first degree assault under section 565.050 , forcible rape under section 566.030 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013, rape in the first degree under section 566.030 , forcible sodomy under section 566.060 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013, sodomy in the first degree under section 566.060 , first degree robbery under section 569.020 as it existed prior to January 1, 2017, robbery in the first degree under section 570.023 , distribution of drugs under section 195.211 as it existed prior to January 1, 2017, or the manufacturing of a controlled substance under section 579.055 , if committed by an adult, or a dangerous felony as defined in section 556.061 , or any felony involving the use, assistance, or aid of a deadly weapon, or has committed two or more prior unrelated offenses that would be felonies if committed by an adult, the court shall order a hearing, and may, in its discretion, dismiss the petition or motion to modify and transfer the child to a court of general jurisdiction for prosecution under the general law. 2. Upon apprehension and arrest, jurisdiction over the criminal offense allegedly committed by any person between eighteen and twenty-one years of age over whom the juvenile court has retained continuing jurisdiction shall automatically terminate and that offense shall be dealt with in the court of general jurisdiction as provided in section 211.041 . 3. Knowing and willful age misrepresentation by a juvenile subject shall not affect any action or proceeding which occurs based upon the misrepresentation. Any evidence obtained during the period of time in which a child misrepresents his or her age may be used against the child and will be subject only to rules of evidence applicable in adult proceedings. 4. Written notification of a transfer hearing shall be given to the juvenile and his or her custodian in the same manner as provided in sections 211.101 and 211.111 . Notice of the hearing may be waived by the custodian. Notice shall contain a statement that the purpose of the hearing is to determine whether the child is a proper subject to be dealt with under the provisions of this chapter, and that if the court finds that the child is not a proper subject to be dealt with under the provisions of this chapter, the petition or motion to modify will be dismissed to allow for prosecution of the child under the general law. 5. The juvenile officer may consult with the office of prosecuting attorney concerning any offense for which the child could be certified as an adult under this section. The prosecuting or circuit attorney shall have access to police reports, reports of the juvenile or deputy juvenile officer, statements of witnesses and all other records or reports relating to the offense alleged to have been committed by the child. The prosecuting or circuit attorney shall have access to the disposition records of the child when the child has been adjudicated pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . The prosecuting attorney shall not divulge any information regarding the child and the offense until the juvenile court at a judicial hearing has determined that the child is not a proper subject to be dealt with under the provisions of this chapter. 6. A written report shall be prepared in accordance with this chapter developing fully all available information relevant to the criteria which shall be considered by the court in determining whether the child is a proper subject to be dealt with under the provisions of this chapter and whether there are reasonable prospects of rehabilitation within the juvenile justice system. These criteria shall include but not be limited to: (1) The seriousness of the offense alleged and whether the protection of the community requires transfer to the court of general jurisdiction; (2) Whether the offense alleged involved viciousness, force and violence; (3) Whether the offense alleged was against persons or property with greater weight being given to the offense against persons, especially if personal injury resulted; (4) Whether the offense alleged is a part of a repetitive pattern of offenses which indicates that the child may be beyond rehabilitation under the juvenile code; (5) The record and history of the child, including experience with the juvenile justice system, other courts, supervision, commitments to juvenile institutions and other placements; (6) The sophistication and maturity of the child as determined by consideration of his or her home and environmental situation, emotional condition and pattern of living; (7) The age of the child; (8) The program and facilities available to the juvenile court in considering disposition; (9) Whether or not the child can benefit from the treatment or rehabilitative programs available to the juvenile court; and (10) Racial disparity in certification. 7. If the court dismisses the petition to permit the child to be prosecuted under the general law, the court shall enter a dismissal order containing: (1) Findings showing that the court had jurisdiction of the cause and of the parties; (2) Findings showing that the child was represented by counsel; (3) Findings showing that the hearing was held in the presence of the child and his or her counsel; and (4) Findings showing the reasons underlying the court's decision to transfer jurisdiction. 8. A copy of the petition or motion to modify and order of the dismissal shall be sent to the prosecuting attorney. 9. When a petition or motion to modify has been dismissed thereby permitting a child to be prosecuted under the general law and the prosecution of the child results in a conviction, the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over that child is forever terminated, except as provided in subsection 10 of this section, for an act that would be a violation of a state law or municipal ordinance. 10. If a petition or motion to modify has been dismissed thereby permitting a child to be prosecuted under the general law and the child is found not guilty by a court of general jurisdiction, the juvenile court shall have jurisdiction over any later offense committed by that child which would be considered a misdemeanor or felony if committed by an adult, subject to the certification provisions of this section. 11. If the court does not dismiss the petition or motion to modify to permit the child to be prosecuted under the general law, it shall set a date for the hearing upon the petition as provided in section 211.171 . (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.070, A.L. 1983 S.B. 368, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2013 H.B. 215 merged with S.B. 36, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2024 S.B. 754, et al., A.L. 2025 S.B. 43) (1971) Section 211.071 upheld against contention by defendant that "it provides no standards for determining that he was not a proper subject to be dealt with" under the Juvenile Code. State v. Williams (Mo.), 473 S.W.2d 382. (1973) Section 211.071 , RSMo, is not void for vagueness. Coney v. State (Mo.), 491 S.W.2d 501.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.072 Certification as an adult, placement in secure detention facility to ...

211.072. Certification as an adult, placement in secure detention facility to continue transfer to adult jail, when, procedure — limitation on time in adult jail — requirements for pretrial-certified juveniles — per diem. — 1. A juvenile under eighteen years of age who has been certified to stand trial as an adult for offenses pursuant to section 211.071 , if currently placed in a secure juvenile detention facility, shall remain in a secure juvenile detention facility pending finalization of the judgment and completion of appeal, if any, of the judgment dismissing the juvenile petition to allow for prosecution under the general law unless otherwise ordered by the juvenile court. Upon the judgment dismissing the petition to allow prosecution under the general laws becoming final and adult charges being filed, if the juvenile is currently in a secure juvenile detention facility, the juvenile shall remain in such facility unless the juvenile posts bond or the juvenile is transferred to an adult jail. If the juvenile officer does not believe juvenile detention would be the appropriate placement or would continue to serve as the appropriate placement, the juvenile officer may file a motion in the adult criminal case requesting that the juvenile be transferred from a secure juvenile detention facility to an adult jail. The court shall hear evidence relating to the appropriateness of the juvenile remaining in a secure juvenile detention facility or being transferred to an adult jail. At such hearing, the following shall have the right to be present and have the opportunity to present evidence and recommendations at such hearing: the juvenile; the juvenile's parents; the juvenile's counsel; the prosecuting attorney; the juvenile officer or his or her designee for the circuit in which the juvenile was certified; the juvenile officer or his or her designee for the circuit in which the pretrial-certified juvenile is proposed to be held, if different from the circuit in which the juvenile was certified; counsel for the juvenile officer; and representatives of the county proposed to have custody of the pretrial-certified juvenile. 2. Following the hearing, the court shall order that the juvenile continue to be held in a secure juvenile detention facility subject to all Missouri juvenile detention standards, or the court shall order that the pretrial-certified juvenile be held in an adult jail but only after the court has made findings that it would be in the best interest of justice to move the pretrial-certified juvenile to an adult jail. The court shall weigh the following factors when deciding whether to detain a certified juvenile in an adult facility: (1) The certified juvenile's age; (2) The certified juvenile's physical and mental maturity; (3) The certified juvenile's present mental state, including whether he or she presents an imminent risk of self-harm; (4) The nature and circumstances of the charges; (5) The certified juvenile's history of delinquency; (6) The relative ability of the available adult and juvenile facilities to both meet the needs of the certified juvenile and to protect the public and other youth in their custody; (7) The opinion of the juvenile officer in the circuit of the proposed placement as to the ability of that juvenile detention facility to provide for appropriate care, custody, and control of the pretrial-certified juvenile; and (8) Any other relevant factor. 3. In the event the court finds that it is in the best interest of justice to require the certified juvenile to be held in an adult jail, the court shall hold a hearing once every thirty days to determine whether the placement of the certified juvenile in an adult jail is still in the best interests of justice. If a pretrial-certified juvenile under eighteen years of age is ordered released on the juvenile's adult criminal case from an adult jail following a transfer order under subsection 2 of this section and the juvenile is detained on violation of the conditions of release or bond, the juvenile shall return to the custody of the adult jail pending further court order. 4. A certified juvenile cannot be held in an adult jail for more than one hundred eighty days unless the court finds, for good cause, that an extension is necessary or the juvenile, through counsel, waives the one hundred eighty day maximum period. If no extension is granted under this subsection, the certified juvenile shall be transferred from the adult jail to a secure juvenile detention facility. If an extension is granted under this subsection, the court shall hold a hearing once every thirty days to determine whether the placement of the certified juvenile in an adult jail is still in the best interests of justice. 5. Effective December 31, 2021, all previously pretrial-certified juveniles under eighteen years of age who had been certified prior to August 28, 2021, shall be transferred from adult jail to a secure juvenile detention facility, unless a hearing is held and the court finds, based upon the factors in subsection 2 of this section, that it would be in the best interest of justice to keep the juvenile in the adult jail. 6. All pretrial-certified juveniles under eighteen years of age who are held in adult jails pursuant to the best interest of justice exception shall continue to be subject to the protections of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and shall be physically separated from adult inmates. 7. If the certified juvenile remains in juvenile detention, the juvenile officer may file a motion to reconsider placement. The court shall consider the factors set out in subsection 2 of this section and the individuals set forth in subsection 1 of this section shall have a right to be present and present evidence. The court may amend its earlier order in light of the evidence and arguments presented at the hearing if the court finds that it would not be in the best interest of justice for the juvenile to remain in a secure juvenile detention facility. 8. Issues related to the setting of, and posting of, bond along with any bond forfeiture proceedings shall be held in the pretrial-certified juvenile's adult criminal case. 9. Upon attaining eighteen years of age or upon a plea of guilty or conviction on the adult charges, the juvenile shall be transferred from juvenile detention to the appropriate adult facility. 10. Any responsibility for transportation of and contracted service for the certified juvenile who remains in a secure juvenile detention facility shall be handled by county jail staff in the same manner as in all other adult criminal cases where the defendant is in custody. 11. The county jail staff shall designate a liaison assigned to each pretrial-certified juvenile while housed in a juvenile detention facility, who shall assist in communication with the juvenile detention facility on the needs of the juvenile including, but not limited to, visitation, legal case status, medical and mental health needs, and phone contact. 12. The per diem provisions as set forth in section 211.156 shall apply to certified juveniles who are being held in a secure juvenile detention facility. (L. 2021 S.B. 53 & 60, A.L. 2025 S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.073 Transfer to court of general jurisdiction, dual jurisdiction of both ...

211.073. Transfer to court of general jurisdiction, dual jurisdiction of both criminal and juvenile codes — suspended execution of adult sentence, revocation of juvenile disposition — petition for transfer of custody, hearing — offender age eighteen, hearing — offender age twenty-one, hearing — credit for time served. — 1. The court shall, in a case when the offender is under eighteen years of age and has been transferred to a court of general jurisdiction pursuant to section 211.071 , and whose prosecution results in a conviction or a plea of guilty, consider dual jurisdiction of both the criminal and juvenile codes, as set forth in this section. The court is authorized to impose a juvenile disposition under this chapter and simultaneously impose an adult criminal sentence, the execution of which shall be suspended pursuant to the provisions of this section. Successful completion of the juvenile disposition ordered shall be a condition of the suspended adult criminal sentence. The court may order an offender into the custody of the division of youth services pursuant to this section: (1) Upon agreement of the division of youth services; and (2) If the division of youth services determines that there is space available in a facility designed to serve offenders sentenced under this section. If the division of youth services agrees to accept a youth and the court does not impose a juvenile disposition, the court shall make findings on the record as to why the division of youth services was not appropriate for the offender prior to imposing the adult criminal sentence. 2. If there is probable cause to believe that the offender has violated a condition of the suspended sentence or committed a new offense, the court shall conduct a hearing on the violation charged, unless the offender waives such hearing. If the violation is established and found the court may continue or revoke the juvenile disposition, impose the adult criminal sentence, or enter such other order as it may see fit. 3. When an offender has received a suspended sentence pursuant to this section and the division determines the child is beyond the scope of its treatment programs, the division of youth services may petition the court for a transfer of custody of the offender. The court shall hold a hearing and shall: (1) Revoke the suspension and direct that the offender be taken into immediate custody of the department of corrections; or (2) Direct that the offender be placed on probation. 4. When an offender who has received a suspended sentence reaches the age of eighteen, the court shall hold a hearing. The court shall: (1) Revoke the suspension and direct that the offender be taken into immediate custody of the department of corrections; (2) Direct that the offender be placed on probation; or (3) Direct that the offender remain in the custody of the division of youth services if the division agrees to such placement. 5. The division of youth services shall petition the court for a hearing before it releases an offender who comes within subsection 1 of this section at any time before the offender reaches the age of twenty-one years. The court shall: (1) Revoke the suspension and direct that the offender be taken into immediate custody of the department of corrections; or (2) Direct that the offender be placed on probation. 6. If the suspension of the adult criminal sentence is revoked, all time served by the offender under the juvenile disposition shall be credited toward the adult criminal sentence imposed. (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 1998 S.B. 684, A.L. 2013 S.B. 36, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.081 Preliminary inquiry as to institution of proceedings - approval of division ...

211.081. Preliminary inquiry as to institution of proceedings — approval of division necessary for placement outside state — institutional placements, findings required, duties of division, limitations on judge, financial limitations. — 1. Whenever any person informs the juvenile officer in writing that a child appears to be within the purview of applicable provisions of section 211.031 , the juvenile officer shall make or cause to be made a preliminary inquiry to determine the facts and to determine whether or not the interests of the public or of the child require that further action be taken. On the basis of this inquiry, the juvenile officer may make such informal adjustment as is practicable without a petition or file a petition. Any other provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the juvenile court shall not make any order for disposition of a child which would place or commit the child to any location outside the state of Missouri without first receiving the approval of the children's division. 2. Placement in any institutional setting shall represent the least restrictive appropriate placement for the child and shall be recommended based upon a psychological or psychiatric evaluation or both. Prior to entering any order for disposition of a child which would order residential treatment or other services inside the state of Missouri, the juvenile court shall enter findings which include the recommendation of the psychological or psychiatric evaluation or both; and certification from the division director or designee as to whether a provider or funds or both are available, including a projection of their future availability. If the children's division indicates that funding is not available, the division shall recommend and make available for placement by the court an alternative placement for the child. The division shall have the burden of demonstrating that they have exercised due diligence in utilizing all available services to carry out the recommendation of the evaluation team and serve the best interest of the child. The judge shall not order placement or an alternative placement with a specific provider but may reasonably designate the scope and type of the services which shall be provided by the department to the child. 3. Obligations of the state incurred under the provisions of section 211.181 shall not exceed, in any fiscal year, the amount appropriated for this purpose. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.080 , A.L. 1987 S.B. 244, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision, A.L. 2017 S.B. 160, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.083 Informal adjustments - court may allow restitution or community service - ...

211.083. Informal adjustments — court may allow restitution or community service — supervisors of community service immune from suit — child not an employee, when. — 1. Whenever an informal adjustment is made under the provisions of section 211.081 , the juvenile court may allow the child: (1) To make restitution or reparation for the damage or loss caused by his offense. Any restitution or reparation shall be reasonable in view of the child's ability to make payment or perform the reparation. The court may require the clerk of the circuit court to act as receiving and disbursing agent for any payment agreed upon; (2) To complete a term of community service under the supervision of the court or an organization selected by the court. 2. Every person, organization, and agency, and each employee thereof, who supervises a child under the provisions of this section, or who benefits from any services performed under this section as a result of an informal adjustment, shall be immune from any suit by the child performing services under this section, or any person deriving a cause of action from such child, if such cause of action arises from the supervision of the child's performance of services under this section and if such cause of action does not arise from an intentional tort or any wanton, willful, or malicious conduct. A child performing services under this section shall not be deemed an employee within the meaning of the provisions of chapter 287 , nor shall the services of such child be deemed employment within the meaning of the provisions of chapter 288 . (L. 1987 S.B. 244, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.085 Court may order work in restitution for child - child not an employee.

211.085. Court may order work in restitution for child — child not an employee. — 1. The court may order a child, who has been adjudicated for a nonviolent crime and who is age fourteen or older, to work for any employer at a rate of compensation not to exceed minimum wage, for a period of time necessary to make such restitution for the damage or loss caused by his offense. 2. A child, age fourteen or older, who is ordered by the juvenile court to make restitution for the damage or loss caused by his offense pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall not be considered an employee as defined in section 290.500 . (L. 1996 S.B. 489 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.091 Petition in juvenile court - contents - dismissal, juvenile officer to ...

211.091. Petition in juvenile court — contents — dismissal, juvenile officer to assess impact on best interest of child. — 1. The petition shall be entitled "In the interest of _______, a child under eighteen years of age". 2. The petition shall set forth plainly: (1) The facts which bring the child within the jurisdiction of the court; (2) The full name, birth date, and residence of the child; (3) The names and residence of his or her parents, if living; (4) The name and residence of his or her legal guardian if there be one, of the person having custody of the child or of the nearest known relative if no parent or guardian can be found; and (5) Any other pertinent data or information. 3. If any facts required in subsection 2 of this section are not known by the petitioner, the petition shall so state. 4. Prior to the voluntary dismissal of a petition filed under this section, the juvenile officer shall assess the impact of such dismissal on the best interests of the child, and shall take all actions practicable to minimize any negative impact. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.090 , A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1995 H.B. 232 & 485 merged with S.B. 174, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.093 Orders or judgment of juvenile court to have precedence over certain other ...

211.093. Orders or judgment of juvenile court to have precedence over certain other court orders or judgments — additional powers, limitations — establishment of paternity, time period. — 1. Any order or judgment entered by the court under authority of this chapter or chapter 210 shall, so long as the juvenile court exercises continuing jurisdiction, take precedence over any order or judgment concerning the status or custody of a child under twenty-one years of age entered by a court under authority of chapter 452 , 453 , 454 or 455 , or orders of guardianship under chapter 475 , but only to the extent inconsistent therewith. 2. In addition to all other powers conveyed upon the court by this chapter and chapter 210 , any court exercising jurisdiction over a child under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 shall have authority to enter an order regarding custody of the child under chapter 452 , enter a child support order, and establish rights of visitation for the parents of the child. In every case in which the juvenile or family court exercises authority over a child under subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the court shall have concurrent authority and jurisdiction with the circuit court to enter a final order and judgment establishing the paternity of the child's biological father under the uniform parentage act under sections 210.817 to 210.852 . 3. Any custody, support, or visitation order entered by the court under subsection 2 of this section shall remain in full force and effect after the termination of juvenile court proceedings unless the court's order specifically states otherwise. Any custody, child support, or visitation order shall take precedence over and shall automatically stay any prior orders concerning custody, child support, guardianship, or visitation. Such orders shall remain in full force and effect until a subsequent order with respect to custody, child support, guardianship, or visitation of the child is entered by a court under the authority of this chapter or chapter 210 , 452 , 453 , 454 , or 455 , or orders of guardianship under chapter 475 . Any final judgment and order establishing paternity under this section shall be a final and binding judgment of the circuit court as in other civil judgments entered under the uniform parentage act under sections 210.817 to 210.852 , and the court may enter the final paternity judgment and order under a different, nonjuvenile case number. 4. If the juvenile court terminates jurisdiction without entering a continuing custody, support, or visitation order under subsections 2 and 3 of this section, legal and physical custody of the child shall be returned to the custodian, parent, or legal guardian who exercised custody prior to the juvenile court assuming jurisdiction under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , and any custody or visitation orders in effect at the time the juvenile court assumed jurisdiction shall be restored. 5. The juvenile court shall not have the authority to hear modification motions or other actions to rehear any orders entered under this section after the juvenile court terminates jurisdiction on the underlying case. Any future actions shall be conducted under sections 210.817 to 210.852 , this chapter, or chapter 452 , 453 , 454 , 455 , or 475 , as appropriate. 6. Any child support order entered under this section shall be established and enforced pursuant to the procedures set forth by chapter 454 . On entry of a child support order, the circuit clerk shall send a certified copy to the family support division for enforcement in the manner provided by law. 7. In all cases filed under subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the children's division shall make all reasonable efforts, as defined by section 211.183 , to establish paternity within sixty days of the juvenile court obtaining jurisdiction over the child. (L. 1990 H.B. 1370, et al., A.L. 2018 S.B. 800)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.101 Issuance of summons - notice - temporary custody of child - subpoenas.

211.101. Issuance of summons — notice — temporary custody of child — subpoenas. — 1. After a petition has been filed, unless the parties appear voluntarily, the juvenile court shall issue a summons in the name of the state of Missouri requiring the person who has custody of the child to appear personally and, unless the court orders otherwise, to bring the child before the court, at the time and place stated. 2. If the person so summoned is other than a parent or guardian of the child, then the parent or guardian or both shall also be notified of the pendency of the case and of the time and place appointed. 3. If it appears that the child is in such condition or surroundings that his or her welfare requires that his or her custody be immediately assumed by the court, the judge may order, by endorsement upon the summons, the officer serving it to take the child into custody at once. 4. Subpoena may be issued requiring the appearance of any other person whose presence, in the opinion of the judge, is necessary. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.100 , A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2008 H.B. 1550, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.111 Summons, how served.

211.111. Summons, how served. — 1. Service of summons shall be made personally by the delivery of an attested copy thereof to the person summoned. But if the juvenile court is satisfied after thorough investigation that it is impracticable to serve the summons personally, it may order service by registered mail to the last known address of the person or by publication. 2. Personal service shall be effected at least twenty-four hours before the time set for the hearing. Registered mail shall be mailed at least five days before the time of the hearing. 3. Service of summons may be made by any suitable person under the direction of the court. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.110, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1777) (2006) Employee seeking emotional distress damages of generic kind does not place the employee's mental or physical condition in controversy and thus does not waive physician-patient privilege protecting mental health treatment records. State ex rel. Dean v. Cunningham, 182 S.W.3d 561 (Mo.banc).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.121 Failure to respond to summons, contempt - warrant for custodian of child.

211.121. Failure to respond to summons, contempt — warrant for custodian of child. — If any person summoned by personal service fails without reasonable cause to appear, he may be proceeded against for contempt of court. In case the parties fail to obey the summons or, in any case when it appears to the court that the service will be ineffectual a capias may be issued for the parent or guardian, or for the child. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.120)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.131 Taking child into custody, effect - notice to parents - jurisdiction ...

211.131. Taking child into custody, effect — notice to parents — jurisdiction attaches, when. — 1. When any child found violating any law or ordinance or whose behavior, environment or associations are injurious to his welfare or to the welfare of others or who is without proper care, custody or support is taken into custody, the taking into custody is not considered an arrest. 2. When a child is taken into custody, the parent, legal custodian or guardian of the child shall be notified as soon as possible. 3. The jurisdiction of the court attaches from the time the child is taken into custody. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.130)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.132 Parent, guardian may be made party to proceeding.

211.132. Parent, guardian may be made party to proceeding. — The court may make a parent or guardian a party to any proceeding where the court has jurisdiction pursuant to section 211.031 . (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al. § 9)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.134 Court may require participation by parent or guardian, purpose - court may ...

211.134. Court may require participation by parent or guardian, purpose — court may order support, when. — 1. The court may require a parent or guardian of a child to participate in any activity the court finds is necessary to carry out the purposes of the juvenile code as stated in section 211.011 , including, but not limited to: (1) Requiring the parent or guardian to attend counseling sessions; and (2) Requiring the parent or guardian to participate in any institutional treatment program, including attendance at the institution where the child resides. 2. The court may order the parent or guardian to support the child committed for institutionalization by paying the reasonable costs of support, maintenance and treatment of the child that the parent is financially able to pay. (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al. § 10)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.135 Appearance of child in court, when.

211.135. Appearance of child in court, when. — 1. The court, after considering all information provided by the children's division and input from the family support team, shall order the child to appear in court only: (1) If necessary to make a decision; and (2) After considering: (a) The appropriateness of the courtroom environment for the child based on the level of trauma to the child either in the past or to be caused by the experience in the courtroom; and (b) The hardship to be endured by the child and current guardians in regards to the disruption in regular activities, including school and work, and the needs of any other children in the home, so long as the court is in compliance with all federal guidelines. 2. Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with the right of a child to attend a hearing under subdivision (7) of subsection 3 of section 210.564 . (L. 2020 H.B. 1414 merged with S.B. 653)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.141 Child returned to parent, when, conditions - detention on order of court - ...

211.141. Child returned to parent, when, conditions — detention on order of court — detention without order, when — assessment of child required, when — random sampling of assessments. — 1. When a child is taken into custody as provided in section 211.131 , the person taking the child into custody shall, unless it has been otherwise ordered by the court, return the child to his or her parent, guardian or legal custodian on the promise of such person to bring the child to court, if necessary, at a stated time or at such times as the court may direct. The court may also impose other conditions relating to activities of the child. If these additional conditions are not met, the court may order the child detained as provided in section 211.151 . If additional conditions are imposed, the child shall be notified that failure to adhere to the conditions may result in the court imposing more restrictive conditions or ordering the detention of the child. If the person taking the child into custody believes it desirable, he may request the parent, guardian or legal custodian to sign a written promise to bring the child into court and acknowledging any additional conditions imposed on the child. 2. If the child is not released as provided in subsection 1 of this section, he or she may be conditionally released or detained in any place of detention specified in section 211.151 but only on order of the court specifying the reason for the conditional release or the detention. The parent, guardian or legal custodian of the child shall be notified of the terms of the conditional release or the place of detention as soon as possible. 3. The juvenile officer may conditionally release or detain a child for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours if it is impractical to obtain a written order from the court because of the unreasonableness of the hour or the fact that it is a Sunday or holiday. The conditional release shall be as provided in subsection 1 of this section, and the detention shall be as provided in section 211.151 . A written record of such conditional release or detention shall be kept and a report in writing filed with the court. In the event that the judge is absent from his circuit, or is unable to act, the approval of another circuit judge of the same or adjoining circuit must be obtained as a condition or continuing the conditional release or detention of a child for more than twenty-four hours. 4. In any matter referred to the juvenile court pursuant to section 211.031 , the juvenile officer shall make a risk and needs assessment of the child and, before the disposition of the matter, shall report the results of the assessment to the juvenile court. The assessment shall be written on a standardized form approved by the office of state courts administrator. 5. The division, in cooperation with juvenile officers and juvenile courts, shall at least biennially review a random sample of assessments of children and the disposition of each child's case to recommend assessment and disposition equity throughout the state. Such review shall identify any evidence of racial disparity in certification. Such review shall be conducted in a manner which protects the confidentiality of the cases examined. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.140, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 2004 S.B. 1211)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.151 Places of detention - photographing and fingerprinting, restrictions.

211.151. Places of detention — photographing and fingerprinting, restrictions. — 1. Pending disposition of a case, the juvenile court may order in writing the detention of a child in one of the following places: (1) A juvenile detention facility provided by the county; (2) A shelter care facility, subject to the supervision of the court; (3) A suitable place of detention maintained by an association having for one of its objects the care and protection of children; (4) Such other suitable custody as the court may direct. 2. A child shall not be detained in a jail or other adult detention facility pending disposition of a case. 3. Law enforcement officers shall take fingerprints and photographs of a child taken into custody for offenses that would be considered felonies if committed by adults, without the approval of the juvenile judge. A child taken into custody as a victim of abuse or neglect or as a status offender pursuant to subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 or for an offense that would be considered a misdemeanor if committed by an adult may be fingerprinted or photographed with the consent of the juvenile judge. Records of a child who has been fingerprinted and photographed after being taken into custody shall be closed records as provided under section 610.100 if a petition has not been filed within thirty days of the date that the child was taken into custody; and if a petition for the child has not been filed within one year of the date the child was taken into custody, any records relating to the child concerning the alleged offense may be expunged under the procedures in sections 610.122 to 610.126 . 4. (1) As used in this section, the term "jail or other adult detention facility" means any locked facility administered by state, county or local law enforcement and correctional agencies, a primary purpose of which is to detain adults charged with violating a criminal law pending trial, including facilities of a temporary nature which do not hold persons after they have been formally charged, or to confine adults convicted of an offense. The term "jail or other adult detention facility" does not include a juvenile detention facility. (2) As used in this section, the term "juvenile detention facility" means a place, institution, building or part thereof, set of buildings or area, whether or not enclosing a building or set of buildings, which has been designated by the juvenile court as a place of detention for juveniles and which is operated, administered and staffed separately and independently of a jail or other detention facility for adults and used exclusively for the lawful custody and treatment of juveniles. The facility may be owned or operated by public or private agencies. A juvenile detention facility may be located in the same building or grounds as a jail or other adult detention facility if there is spatial separation between the facilities which prevents haphazard or accidental contact between juvenile and adult detainees; there is separation between juvenile and adult program activities; and there are separate juvenile and adult staff other than specialized support staff who have infrequent contact with detainees. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.150, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1255, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.156 Care and detention of certain children by county, contribution by state, when.

211.156. Care and detention of certain children by county, contribution by state, when. — 1. Whenever a county shall own or operate an institution as a home for neglected and delinquent children, the state of Missouri shall pay to the county toward the care and maintenance of each of these children, upon an order or voucher submitted to the state by the circuit court fourteen to thirty-seven dollars per day, subject to appropriations. 2. Whenever a child is detained as provided in section 211.151 , the state shall pay to the county governing body toward the care and maintenance of each such child upon a voucher or order submitted to the state by the circuit court the amount specified in this subsection. When submitting the voucher or order to the state, the circuit court shall certify that the child was detained only in a manner as provided by section 211.151 . The amount to be paid to the county governing body is fourteen to thirty-seven dollars per day, subject to appropriations. (L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1989 S.B. 163, A.L. 1998 H.B. 971)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.161 Court may require physical or mental examination - costs paid by county.

211.161. Court may require physical or mental examination — costs paid by county. — 1. The court may cause any child within its jurisdiction to be examined by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist appointed by the court in order that the condition of the child may be given consideration in the disposition of his or her case. The expenses of the examination when approved by the court shall be paid by the county, except that the county shall not be liable for the costs of examinations conducted by the department of mental health either directly or through contract. 2. The services of a state, county or municipally maintained hospital, institution, or psychiatric or health clinic may be used for the purpose of this examination and treatment. 3. A county may establish medical, psychiatric and other facilities, upon request of the juvenile court, to provide proper services for the court in the diagnosis and treatment of children coming before it and these facilities shall be under the administration and control of the juvenile court. The juvenile court may appoint and fix the compensation of such professional and other personnel as it deems necessary to provide the court proper diagnostic, clinical and treatment services for children under its jurisdiction. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.180 , A.L. 1980 H.B. 1724, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21 (1963) The establishment of the office of administrative assistant in the juvenile division of the St. Louis City Circuit Court was authorized by this section, being within the meaning of term "ther facilities". Marshak v. Poelker (Mo.), 367 S.W.2d 625. (1980) The requirement that the fee for a psychiatric examination of children by court appointed physician be paid by the county does not mean that the expense of such examination should be taxed as "costs". State of Mo. v. J.E.L. (Mo.), 606 S.W.2d 653.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.171 Hearing procedure - notification of current foster parents, preadoptive ...

211.171. Hearing procedure — notification of current foster parents, preadoptive parents and relatives, when — public may be excluded, when — victim impact statement permitted, when. — 1. The procedure to be followed at the hearing shall be determined by the juvenile court judge and may be as formal or informal as he or she considers desirable, consistent with constitutional and statutory requirements. The judge may take testimony and inquire into the habits, surroundings, conditions and tendencies of the child and the family to enable the court to render such order or judgment as will best promote the welfare of the child and carry out the objectives of this chapter. 2. The hearing may, in the discretion of the court, proceed in the absence of the child and may be adjourned from time to time. 3. The current foster parent of a child, or any preadoptive parent or relative currently providing care for the child, shall be provided with notice of, and an opportunity to be heard in, any hearing to be held with respect to a child in his or her care, and a foster parent shall have standing to participate in all court hearings pertaining to a child in their care. If a foster parent alleges the court failed to allow the foster parent to be heard orally or by submission of correspondence at any hearing regarding a child in their care, the foster parent may seek remedial writ relief pursuant to Missouri supreme court rules 84, 94, and 97. No docket fee shall be required to be paid by the foster parent. The children's division shall not remove a child from placement with a foster parent based solely upon the foster parent's filing of a petition for a remedial writ or while a writ is pending, unless removal is necessary to ensure the health and safety of the child. 4. The court shall ensure a child's foster parent has received full access to the child's medical, psychological, and psychiatric records, including prior records, from the children's division and its contractors under section 210.566 , by inquiring at the first hearing at which the foster parent is present. 5. All cases of children shall be heard separately from the trial of cases against adults. 6. Stenographic notes or an authorized recording of the hearing shall be required if the court so orders or, if requested by any party interested in the proceeding. 7. The general public shall be excluded and only such persons admitted as have a direct interest in the case or in the work of the court except in cases where the child is accused of conduct which, if committed by an adult, would be considered a class A or B felony; or for conduct which would be considered a class C felony, if the child has previously been formally adjudicated for the commission of two or more unrelated acts which would have been class A, B or C felonies, if committed by an adult. 8. The practice and procedure customary in proceedings in equity shall govern all proceedings in the juvenile court; except that, the court shall not grant a continuance in such proceedings absent compelling extenuating circumstances, and in such cases, the court shall make written findings on the record detailing the specific reasons for granting a continuance. 9. The court shall allow the victim of any offense to submit a written statement to the court. The court shall allow the victim to appear before the court personally or by counsel for the purpose of making a statement, unless the court finds that the presence of the victim would not serve justice. The statement shall relate solely to the facts of the case and any personal injuries or financial loss incurred by the victim. A member of the immediate family of the victim may appear personally or by counsel to make a statement if the victim has died or is otherwise unable to appear as a result of the offense committed by the child. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.190, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 1998 H.B. 1822 merged with S.B. 674, A.L. 1999 H.B. 136, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2014 S.B. 869, A.L. 2020 H.B. 1414 merged with S.B. 653)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.177 Grandparent's right to intervene in action, restrictions, termination.

211.177. Grandparent's right to intervene in action, restrictions, termination. — 1. A grandparent shall have a right to intervene in any proceeding initiated pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, in which the custody of a grandchild is in issue, unless the juvenile judge decides after considering a motion to intervene by the grandparent that such intervention is against the best interest of the child. 2. The right of a grandparent to intervene pursuant to the provisions of this section may terminate upon the adoption of the child except where the child is adopted by a stepparent, another grandparent or other blood relative. (L. 1993 S.B. 180 § 1, A.L. 1994 S.B. 657) (1998) Statute by granting grandparent right to intervene infers a right to appeal. Long v. Seely, 975 S.W.2d 208 (E.D.Mo.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.180 Family preservation screenings, conducted when, results.

211.180. Family preservation screenings, conducted when, results. — Family preservation screenings shall be conducted by the children's division within seventy-two hours of the removal of a child from the home and placement in the custody of the court. The results of this screening shall be submitted to the juvenile court judge for consideration in the order of disposition or treatment of the child. (L. 1994 S.B. 595, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.181 Order for disposition or treatment of child - suspension of order and ...

211.181. Order for disposition or treatment of child — suspension of order and probation granted, when — community organizations, immunity from liability, when — length of commitment may be set forth — assessments, deposits, use. — 1. When a child is found by the court to come within the applicable provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the court shall so decree and make a finding of fact upon which it exercises its jurisdiction over the child, and the court may, by order duly entered, proceed as follows: (1) Place the child under supervision in his or her own home or in the custody of a relative or other suitable person after the court or a public agency or institution designated by the court conducts an investigation of the home, relative or person and finds such home, relative or person to be suitable and upon such conditions as the court may require; (2) Commit the child to the custody of: (a) A public agency or institution authorized by law to care for children or to place them in family homes; except that, such child may not be committed to the department of social services, division of youth services; (b) Any other institution or agency which is authorized or licensed by law to care for children or to place them in family homes; (c) An association, school or institution willing to receive the child in another state if the approval of the agency in that state which administers the laws relating to importation of children into the state has been secured; or (d) The juvenile officer; (3) Place the child in a family home; (4) Cause the child to be examined and treated by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist and when the health or condition of the child requires it, cause the child to be placed in a public or private hospital, clinic or institution for treatment and care; except that, nothing contained herein authorizes any form of compulsory medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment of a child whose parents or guardian in good faith are providing other remedial treatment recognized or permitted under the laws of this state; (5) The court may order, pursuant to subsection 2 of section 211.081 , that the child receive the necessary services in the least restrictive appropriate environment including home and community-based services, treatment and support, based on a coordinated, individualized treatment plan. The individualized treatment plan shall be approved by the court and developed by the applicable state agencies responsible for providing or paying for any and all appropriate and necessary services, subject to appropriation, and shall include which agencies are going to pay for and provide such services. Such plan must be submitted to the court within thirty days and the child's family shall actively participate in designing the service plan for the child; (6) The department of social services, in conjunction with the department of mental health, shall apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for such federal waivers as required to provide services for such children, including the acquisition of community-based services waivers. 2. When a child is found by the court to come within the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the court shall so decree and upon making a finding of fact upon which it exercises its jurisdiction over the child, the court may, by order duly entered, proceed as follows: (1) Place the child under supervision in his or her own home or in custody of a relative or other suitable person after the court or a public agency or institution designated by the court conducts an investigation of the home, relative or person and finds such home, relative or person to be suitable and upon such conditions as the court may require; (2) Commit the child to the custody of: (a) A public agency or institution authorized by law to care for children or place them in family homes; except that, a child may be committed to the department of social services, division of youth services, only if he or she is presently under the court's supervision after an adjudication under the provisions of subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 ; (b) Any other institution or agency which is authorized or licensed by law to care for children or to place them in family homes; (c) An association, school or institution willing to receive it in another state if the approval of the agency in that state which administers the laws relating to importation of children into the state has been secured; or (d) The juvenile officer; (3) Place the child in a family home; (4) Cause the child to be examined and treated by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist and when the health or condition of the child requires it, cause the child to be placed in a public or private hospital, clinic or institution for treatment and care; except that, nothing contained herein authorizes any form of compulsory medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment of a child whose parents or guardian in good faith are providing other remedial treatment recognized or permitted under the laws of this state; (5) Assess an amount of up to ten dollars to be paid by the child to the clerk of the court. Execution of any order entered by the court pursuant to this subsection, including a commitment to any state agency, may be suspended and the child placed on probation subject to such conditions as the court deems reasonable. After a hearing, probation may be revoked and the suspended order executed. 3. When a child is found by the court to come within the provisions of subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the court shall so decree and make a finding of fact upon which it exercises its jurisdiction over the child, and the court may, by order duly entered, proceed as follows: (1) Place the child under supervision in his or her own home or in custody of a relative or other suitable person after the court or a public agency or institution designated by the court conducts an investigation of the home, relative or person and finds such home, relative or person to be suitable and upon such conditions as the court may require; provided that, no child who has been adjudicated a delinquent by a juvenile court for committing or attempting to commit a sex-related offense which if committed by an adult would be considered a felony offense pursuant to chapter 566 , including but not limited to rape, forcible sodomy, child molestation, and sexual abuse, and in which the victim was a child, shall be placed in any residence within one thousand feet of the residence of the abused child of that offense until the abused child reaches the age of eighteen, and provided further that the provisions of this subdivision regarding placement within one thousand feet of the abused child shall not apply when the abusing child and the abused child are siblings or children living in the same home; (2) Commit the child to the custody of: (a) A public agency or institution authorized by law to care for children or to place them in family homes; (b) Any other institution or agency which is authorized or licensed by law to care for children or to place them in family homes; (c) An association, school or institution willing to receive it in another state if the approval of the agency in that state which administers the laws relating to importation of children into the state has been secured; or (d) The juvenile officer; (3) Beginning January 1, 1996, the court may make further directions as to placement with the division of youth services concerning the child's length of stay. The length of stay order may set forth a minimum review date; (4) Place the child in a family home; (5) Cause the child to be examined and treated by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist and when the health or condition of the child requires it, cause the child to be placed in a public or private hospital, clinic or institution for treatment and care; except that, nothing contained herein authorizes any form of compulsory medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment of a child whose parents or guardian in good faith are providing other remedial treatment recognized or permitted under the laws of this state; (6) Suspend or revoke a state or local license or authority of a child to operate a motor vehicle; (7) Order the child to make restitution or reparation for the damage or loss caused by his or her offense. In determining the amount or extent of the damage, the court may order the juvenile officer to prepare a report and may receive other evidence necessary for such determination. The child and his or her attorney shall have access to any reports which may be prepared, and shall have the right to present evidence at any hearing held to ascertain the amount of damages. Any restitution or reparation ordered shall be reasonable in view of the child's ability to make payment or to perform the reparation. The court may require the clerk of the circuit court to act as receiving and disbursing agent for any payment ordered; (8) Order the child to a term of community service under the supervision of the court or of an organization selected by the court. Every person, organization, and agency, and each employee thereof, charged with the supervision of a child under this subdivision, or who benefits from any services performed as a result of an order issued under this subdivision, shall be immune from any suit by the child ordered to perform services under this subdivision, or any person deriving a cause of action from such child, if such cause of action arises from the supervision of the child's performance of services under this subdivision and if such cause of action does not arise from an intentional tort. A child ordered to perform services under this subdivision shall not be deemed an employee within the meaning of the provisions of chapter 287 , nor shall the services of such child be deemed employment within the meaning of the provisions of chapter 288 . Execution of any order entered by the court, including a commitment to any state agency, may be suspended and the child placed on probation subject to such conditions as the court deems reasonable. After a hearing, probation may be revoked and the suspended order executed; (9) When a child has been adjudicated to have violated a municipal ordinance or to have committed an act that would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, assess an amount of up to twenty-five dollars to be paid by the child to the clerk of the court; when a child has been adjudicated to have committed an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, assess an amount of up to fifty dollars to be paid by the child to the clerk of the court. 4. Beginning January 1, 1996, the court may set forth in the order of commitment the minimum period during which the child shall remain in the custody of the division of youth services. No court order shall require a child to remain in the custody of the division of youth services for a period which exceeds the child's nineteenth birth date except upon petition filed by the division of youth services pursuant to subsection 1 of section 219.021 . In any order of commitment of a child to the custody of the division of youth services, the division shall determine the appropriate program or placement pursuant to subsection 3 of section 219.021 . Beginning January 1, 1996, the department shall not discharge a child from the custody of the division of youth services before the child completes the length of stay determined by the court in the commitment order unless the committing court orders otherwise. The director of the division of youth services may at any time petition the court for a review of a child's length of stay commitment order, and the court may, upon a showing of good cause, order the early discharge of the child from the custody of the division of youth services. The division may discharge the child from the division of youth services without a further court order after the child completes the length of stay determined by the court or may retain the child for any period after the completion of the length of stay in accordance with the law. 5. When an assessment has been imposed under the provisions of subsection 2 or 3 of this section, the assessment shall be paid to the clerk of the court in the circuit where the assessment is imposed by court order, to be deposited in a fund established for the sole purpose of payment of judgments entered against children in accordance with section 211.185 . (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.200, A.L. 1974 H.B. 1475, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512, A.L. 1985 S.B. 323, A.L. 1987 S.B. 244, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1993 S.B. 88, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 1998 S.B. 684, A.L. 2002 S.B. 923, et al., A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2005 S.B. 420 & 344, A.L. 2005 1st Ex. Sess. H.B. 2, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2021 S.B. 53 & 60) Effective 7-14-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.183 Order to include determination of efforts of division - definition of ...

211.183. Order to include determination of efforts of division — definition of reasonable efforts by division — modification of the permanency plan, when — reasonable efforts not required, when — permanency hearing, when. — 1. In juvenile court proceedings regarding the removal of a child from his or her home, the court's order shall include a determination of whether the children's division has made reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child and, after removal, to make it possible for the child to return home. If the first contact with the family occurred during an emergency in which the child could not safely remain at home even with reasonable in-home services, the division shall be deemed to have made reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal. 2. "Reasonable efforts" means the exercise of reasonable diligence and care by the division to utilize all available services related to meeting the needs of the juvenile and the family. In determining reasonable efforts to be made and in making such reasonable efforts, the child's present and ongoing health and safety shall be the paramount consideration. 3. In support of its determination of whether reasonable efforts have been made, the court shall enter findings, including a brief description of what preventive or reunification efforts were made and why further efforts could or could not have prevented or shortened the separation of the family. The division shall have the burden of demonstrating reasonable efforts. 4. The juvenile court may authorize the removal of the child even if the preventive and reunification efforts of the division have not been reasonable, but further efforts could not permit the child to remain at home. 5. Before a child may be removed from the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child by order of a juvenile court, excluding commitments to the division of youth services, the court shall in its orders: (1) State whether removal of the child is necessary to protect the child and the reasons therefor; (2) Describe the services available to the family before removal of the child, including in-home services; (3) Describe the efforts made to provide those services relevant to the needs of the family before the removal of the child; (4) State why efforts made to provide family services described did not prevent removal of the child; and (5) State whether efforts made to prevent removal of the child were reasonable, based upon the needs of the family and child. 6. If continuation of reasonable efforts, as described in this section, is determined by the division to be inconsistent with establishing a permanent placement for the child, the division shall take such steps as are deemed necessary by the division, including seeking modification of any court order to modify the permanency plan for the child. 7. The division shall not be required to make reasonable efforts, as defined in this section, but has the discretion to make reasonable efforts if a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that: (1) The parent has subjected the child to a severe act or recurrent acts of physical, emotional or sexual abuse toward the child, including an act of incest; or (2) The parent has: (a) Committed murder of another child of the parent; (b) Committed voluntary manslaughter of another child of the parent; (c) Aided or abetted, attempted, conspired or solicited to commit such a murder or voluntary manslaughter; or (d) Committed a felony assault that resulted in serious bodily injury to the child or to another child of the parent; or (3) The parent's parental rights to a sibling have been involuntarily terminated. 8. If the court determines that reasonable efforts, as described in this section, are not required to be made by the division, the court shall hold a permanency hearing within thirty days after the court has made such determination. The division shall complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child. 9. The division may concurrently engage in reasonable efforts, as described in this section, while engaging in such other measures as are deemed appropriate by the division to establish a permanent placement for the child. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al. § 4, A.L. 1987 S.B. 244, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1822 merged with S.B. 674, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.185 Court may order parents and child to make restitution, when, amount - ...

211.185. Court may order parents and child to make restitution, when, amount — restitution hearing required, when, procedure — community service — execution of judgment. — 1. In addition to the court's authority to issue an order for the child to make restitution or reparation for the damage or loss caused by his offense as provided in section 211.181 , the court may enter a judgment of restitution against both the parent and the child pursuant to the provisions of this section if the court finds that the parent has failed to exercise reasonable parental discipline or authority to prevent the damage or loss and the child has: (1) Stolen, damaged, destroyed, converted, unlawfully obtained, or substantially decreased the value of the property of another; or (2) Inflicted personal injury on another, requiring the injured person to incur medical, dental, hospital, funeral, or burial expenses. 2. The court may order both the parent and the child to make restitution to: (1) The victim; (2) Any governmental entity; or (3) A third-party payor, including an insurer, that has made payment to the victim to compensate the victim for a property loss or a pecuniary loss under subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection 1 of this section. 3. Restitution payments to the victim have priority over restitution payments to a third-party payor. If the victim has been compensated for the victim's loss by a third-party payor, the court may order restitution payments to the third-party payor in the amount that the third-party payor compensated the victim. 4. Payment of restitution to a victim under this section has priority over payment of restitution to any governmental entity. 5. Considering the age and circumstances of a child, the court may order the child to make restitution to the wronged person personally. 6. A restitution hearing to determine the liability of the parent and the child shall be held not later than thirty days after the disposition hearing and may be extended by the court for good cause. In the restitution hearing, a written statement or bill for medical, dental, hospital, funeral, or burial expenses shall be prima facie evidence that the amount indicated on the written statement or bill represents a fair and reasonable charge for the services or materials provided. The burden of proving that the amount indicated on the written statement or bill is not fair and reasonable shall be on the person challenging the fairness and reasonableness of the amount. 7. A judgment of restitution against a parent may not be entered unless the parent has been afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard and to present appropriate evidence in his behalf. The parent shall be advised of his right to obtain counsel for representation at the hearing. A hearing under this section may be held as part of an adjudicatory or disposition hearing for the child. 8. The judgment may be enforced in the same manner as enforcing monetary judgments. 9. A judgment of restitution ordered pursuant to this section against a child and his parents shall not be a bar to a proceeding against the child and his parents pursuant to section 537.045 or section 8.150 for the balance of the damages not paid pursuant to this section. In no event, however, may the total restitution paid by the child and his parents pursuant to this section, section 8.150 , and section 537.045 exceed four thousand dollars. 10. The child may be ordered to work in a court-approved community service work site at a rate of compensation not to exceed minimum wage. The number of hours worked shall be reported to the juvenile officer and the compensation earned for these hours shall be used for the sole purpose of satisfying the judgment entered against the child in accordance with this section. Upon application by the juvenile officer made with the juvenile court's written approval, the clerk of the court of the circuit where the fund is deposited and where a judgment has been entered in accordance with this section shall pay the compensation earned by the child to the person in whose favor the judgment has been entered. 11. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, a judgment of restitution ordered pursuant to this section against a child may be executed upon after the child attains the age of eighteen years. (L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1990 H.B. 1734, A.L. 1993 S.B. 88, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al.) CROSS REFERENCES: Defacing of state facilities by minors, penalty, liability, 8.150 Minor's torts, parent, guardian and minor's liability, work accepted in lieu of payment, 537.045

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.188 Court may order work for restitution - not an employee.

211.188. Court may order work for restitution — not an employee. — 1. The court may order a child, who has been adjudicated for a nonviolent crime and who is age fourteen or older, to work for any employer at a rate of compensation not to exceed minimum wage, for a period of time necessary to make such restitution for the damage or loss caused by his offense. 2. A child, age fourteen or older, who is ordered by the juvenile court to make restitution for the damage or loss caused by his offense pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall not be considered an employee as defined in section 290.500 . (L. 1996 H.B. 1301 & 1298 § 11)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.201 Commitment of children to department of mental health, duration - ...

211.201. Commitment of children to department of mental health, duration — jurisdiction by court and department — extension of commitment, procedure. — 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 211.151 , 211.161 and 211.181 , and any other provision of law contrary to this section, the juvenile court may not order that children be detained by, committed to or otherwise placed in the department of mental health for periods longer than thirty days except as provided in sections 211.201 to 211.207 . 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a juvenile court loses jurisdiction of a child committed by it to the department of mental health unless, by the terms of its order committing the child to the department, the court expressly retains jurisdiction of the child. 3. If a child is to be detained beyond his eighteenth birthday in the custody of the department, the child may only be held pursuant to an express court order entered after a hearing within thirty days of the child's eighteenth birthday. The department shall notify the court thirty days before the child's eighteenth birthday that the department shall discharge the child unless the court sets the matter down for a hearing. If the court, on its own motion or motion of any interested party, believes the person should be detained, the court shall give proper notice of the hearing before the child's eighteenth birthday to the director of the department and other parties as required by law. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.220, A.L. 1963 p. 388, A.L. 1979 H.B. 934, A.L. 1980 H.B. 1724)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.202 Mentally disordered children, evaluation - disposition - review by court.

211.202. Mentally disordered children, evaluation — disposition — review by court. — 1. If a child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court appears to be mentally disordered, other than intellectually disabled or developmentally disabled, the court, on its own motion or on the motion or petition of any interested party, may order the department of mental health to evaluate the child. 2. A mental health facility designated by the department of mental health shall perform within twenty days an evaluation of the child, on an outpatient basis if practicable, for the purpose of determining whether inpatient admission is appropriate because the following criteria are met: (1) The child has a mental disorder other than intellectual disability or developmental disability, as all these terms are defined in chapter 630 ; (2) The child requires inpatient care and treatment for the protection of himself or others; (3) A mental health facility offers a program suitable for the child's needs; (4) A mental health facility is the least restrictive environment as the term "least restrictive environment" is defined in chapter 630 . 3. If the facility determines, as a result of the evaluation, that it is appropriate to admit the child as an inpatient, the head of the mental health facility, or his designee, shall recommend the child for admission, subject to the availability of suitable accommodations, and send the juvenile court notice of the recommendation and a copy of the evaluation. Should the department evaluation recommend inpatient care, the child, his parent, guardian or counsel shall have the right to request an independent evaluation of the child. Within twenty days of the receipt of the notice and evaluation by the facility, or within twenty days of the receipt of the notice and evaluation from the independent examiner, the court may order, pursuant to a hearing, the child committed to the custody of the department of mental health for inpatient care and treatment, or may otherwise dispose of the matter; except, that no child shall be committed to a mental health facility under this section for other than care and treatment. 4. If the facility determines, as a result of the evaluation, that inpatient admission is not appropriate, the head of the mental health facility, or his designee, shall not recommend the child for admission as an inpatient. The head of the facility, or his designee, shall send to the court a notice that inpatient admission is not appropriate, along with a copy of the evaluation, within twenty days of completing the evaluation. If the child was evaluated on an inpatient basis, the juvenile court shall transfer the child from the department of mental health within twenty days of receipt of the notice and evaluation or set the matter for hearing within twenty days, giving notice of the hearing to the director of the facility as well as all others required by law. 5. If at any time the facility determines that it is no longer appropriate to provide inpatient care and treatment for the child committed by the juvenile court, but that such child appears to qualify for placement under section 630.610 , the head of the facility shall refer such child for placement. Subject to the availability of an appropriate placement, the department of mental health shall place any child who qualifies for placement under section 630.610 . If no appropriate placement is available, the department of mental health shall discharge the child or make such other arrangements as it may deem appropriate and consistent with the child's welfare and safety. Notice of the placement or discharge shall be sent to the juvenile court which first ordered the child's detention. 6. The committing juvenile court shall conduct an annual review of the child's need for continued placement in the mental health facility. (L. 1980 H.B. 1724, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 648, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1064)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.203 Developmentally disabled children, evaluation - disposition - review by court.

211.203. Developmentally disabled children, evaluation — disposition — review by court. — 1. If a child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court appears to be intellectually disabled or developmentally disabled, as these terms are defined in chapter 630 , the court, on its own motion or on the motion or petition of any interested party, may order the department of mental health to evaluate the child. 2. A regional center designated by the department of mental health shall perform within twenty days a comprehensive evaluation, as defined in chapter 633 , on an outpatient basis if practicable, for the purpose of determining the appropriateness of a referral to a developmental disability facility operated or funded by the department of mental health. If it is determined by the regional center, as a result of the evaluation, to be appropriate to refer such child to a department developmental disability facility under section 633.120 or a private developmental disability facility under section 630.610 , the regional center shall refer the evaluation to the appropriate developmental disability facility. 3. If, as a result of reviewing the evaluation, the head of the developmental disability facility, or his designee, determines that it is appropriate to admit such child as a resident, the head of the developmental disability facility, or his or her designee, shall recommend the child for admission, subject to availability of suitable accommodations. The head of the regional center, or his designee, shall send the juvenile court notice of the recommendation for admission by the developmental disability facility and a copy of the evaluation. Should the department evaluation recommend residential care and habilitation, the child, his parent, guardian or counsel shall have the right to request an independent evaluation of the child. Within twenty days of receipt of the notice and evaluation from the facility, or within twenty days of the receipt of the notice and evaluation from the independent examiner, the court may order, pursuant to a hearing, the child committed to the custody of the department of mental health for residential care and habilitation, or may otherwise dispose of the matter; except, that no child shall be committed to the department of mental health for other than residential care and habilitation. If the department proposes placement at, or transferring the child to, a department facility other than that designated in the order of the juvenile court, the department shall conduct a due process hearing within six days of such placement or transfer during which the head of the initiating facility shall have the burden to show that the placement or transfer is appropriate for the medical needs of the child. The head of the facility shall notify the court ordering detention or commitment and the child's last known attorney of record of such placement or transfer. 4. If, as a result of the evaluation, the regional center determines that it is not appropriate to admit such child as a resident in a developmental disability facility, the regional center shall send a notice to the court that it is inappropriate to admit such child, along with a copy of the evaluation. If the child was evaluated on a residential basis, the juvenile court shall transfer the child from the department within five days of receiving the notice and evaluation or set the matter for hearing within twenty days, giving notice of the hearing to the director of the facility as well as all others required by law. 5. If at any time the developmental disability facility determines that it is no longer appropriate to provide residential habilitation for the child committed by the juvenile court, but that such child appears to qualify for placement under section 630.610 , the head of the facility shall refer such child for placement. Subject to the availability of an appropriate placement, the department shall place any child who qualifies for placement under section 630.610 . If no appropriate placement is available, the department shall discharge the child or make such other arrangements as it may deem appropriate and consistent with the child's welfare and safety. Notice of the placement or discharge shall be sent to the juvenile court which first ordered the child's detention. 6. The committing court shall conduct an annual review of the child's need for continued placement at the developmental disability facility. (L. 1980 H.B. 1724, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 648, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1064)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.206 Duties of department of mental health - discharge by department - notice - ...

211.206. Duties of department of mental health — discharge by department — notice — jurisdiction of court. — 1. For each child committed to the department of mental health by the juvenile court, the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, shall prepare an individualized treatment or habilitation plan, as defined in chapter 630 , within thirty days of the admission for treatment or habilitation. The status of each child shall be reviewed at least once every thirty days. Copies of all individualized treatment plans, habilitation plans, and periodic reviews shall be sent to the committing juvenile court. 2. The department of mental health shall discharge a child committed to it by the juvenile court pursuant to sections 211.202 and 211.203 if the head of a mental health facility or developmental disability facility, or his designee, determines, in an evaluation or a periodic review, that any of the following conditions are true: (1) A child committed to a mental health facility no longer has a mental disorder other than intellectual disability or developmental disability; (2) A child committed to a developmental disability facility is not intellectually disabled or developmentally disabled; (3) The condition of the child is no longer such that, for the protection of the child or others, the child requires inpatient hospitalization or residential habilitation; (4) The mental health facility or developmental disability facility does not offer a program which best meets the child's needs; (5) The mental health facility or developmental disability facility does not provide the least restrictive environment, as defined in section 630.005 , which is consistent with the child's welfare and safety. 3. If the committing court specifically retained jurisdiction of the child by the terms of its order committing the child to the department of mental health, notice of the discharge, accompanied by a diagnosis and recommendations for placement of the child, shall be forwarded to the court at least twenty days before such discharge date. Unless within twenty days of receipt of notice of discharge the juvenile court orders the child to be brought before it for appropriate proceedings, jurisdiction of that court over the child shall terminate at the end of such twenty days. (L. 1980 H.B. 1724, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 648)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.207 Youth services division may request evaluation - procedure after evaluation ...

211.207. Youth services division may request evaluation — procedure after evaluation — transfer of custody. — 1. If a child is committed to the division of youth services and subsequently appears to be mentally disordered, as defined in chapter 630 , the division shall refer the child to the department of mental health for evaluation. The evaluation shall be performed within twenty days by a mental health facility or regional center operated by the department of mental health and, if practicable, on an outpatient basis, for the purpose of determining whether inpatient care at a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility is appropriate because the child meets the criteria specified in subsection 2 of section 211.202 or in section 633.120 , respectively. 2. If, as a result of the evaluation, the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, determines that the child is not mentally disordered so as to require inpatient care and treatment in a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility, the director, or his designee, shall so notify the director of the division of youth services. If the child was evaluated on an inpatient or residential basis, the child shall be returned to the division of youth services. 3. If the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, determines that the child requires inpatient care and treatment at a mental health facility operated by the department of mental health or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility operated by the department of mental health, the director, or his designee, shall notify the director of the division of youth services that admission is appropriate. The director of the division may transfer the physical custody of the child to the department of mental health for admission to a department of mental health facility and the department of mental health shall accept the transfer subject to the availability of suitable accommodations. 4. The director of the department of mental health, or his designee, shall cause an individualized treatment or habilitation plan to be prepared by the mental health facility or developmental disability facility for each child. The mental health facility or developmental disability facility shall review the status of the child at least once every thirty days. If, as a result of any such review, it is determined that inpatient care and treatment at a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility is no longer appropriate for the child because the child does not meet the criteria specified in subsection 2 of section 211.202 or in section 633.120 , respectively, the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, shall so notify the director of the division of youth services and shall return the child to the custody of the division. 5. If a child for any reason ceases to come under the jurisdiction of the division of youth services, he may be retained in a mental health facility or developmental disability facility only as otherwise provided by law. (L. 1980 H.B. 1724, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 648)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.211 Right to counsel or guardian ad litem - counsel appointed, when - waiver, ...

211.211. Right to counsel or guardian ad litem — counsel appointed, when — waiver, exceptions for certain proceedings. — 1. A child is entitled to be represented by counsel in all proceedings under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 and by a guardian ad litem in all proceedings under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of section 210.160 when the child shall be represented by counsel and the provisions of section 210.160 shall apply to the appointment of such counsel. Counsel appointed under subsection 3 of section 210.160 shall not be waived. 2. The court shall appoint counsel for a child prior to the filing of a petition if a request is made therefor to the court and the court finds that the child is the subject of a juvenile court proceeding and that the child making the request is indigent. 3. (1) When a petition has been filed under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the court may appoint counsel for the child except if private counsel has entered his or her appearance on behalf of the child or if counsel has been waived in accordance with law; except that, counsel shall not be waived for any proceeding specified under subsection 10 of this section unless the child has had the opportunity to meaningfully consult with counsel and the court has conducted a hearing on the record. (2) If a child waives his or her right to counsel, such waiver shall be made in open court and be recorded and in writing and shall be made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily. In determining whether a child has knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waived his or her right to counsel, the court shall look to the totality of the circumstances including, but not limited to, the child's age, intelligence, background, and experience generally and in the court system specifically; the child's emotional stability; and the complexity of the proceedings. 4. When a petition has been filed and the child's custodian appears before the court without counsel, the court shall appoint counsel for the custodian if it finds: (1) That the custodian is indigent; and (2) That the custodian desires the appointment of counsel; and (3) That a full and fair hearing requires appointment of counsel for the custodian. 5. Counsel shall be allowed a reasonable time in which to prepare to represent his client. 6. Counsel shall serve for all stages of the proceedings, including appeal, unless relieved by the court for good cause shown. If no appeal is taken, services of counsel are terminated following the entry of an order of disposition. 7. The child and his custodian may be represented by the same counsel except where a conflict of interest exists. Where it appears to the court that a conflict exists, it shall order that the child and his custodian be represented by separate counsel, and it shall appoint counsel if required by subsection 3 or 4 of this section. 8. When a petition has been filed, a child may waive his or her right to counsel only with the approval of the court and if such waiver is not prohibited under subsection 10 of this section. If a child waives his or her right to counsel for any proceeding except proceedings under subsection 10 of this section, the waiver shall only apply to that proceeding. In any subsequent proceeding, the child shall be informed of his or her right to counsel. 9. Waiver of counsel by a child may be withdrawn at any stage of the proceeding, in which event the court shall appoint counsel for the child if required by subsection 3 of this section. 10. A child's right to be represented by counsel shall not be waived in any of the following proceedings: (1) At any contested detention hearing under Missouri supreme court rule 127.08 where the petitioner alleges that the child violated any law that, if committed by an adult, would be a felony unless an agreement is otherwise reached; (2) At a certification hearing under section 211.071 or a dismissal hearing under Missouri supreme court rule 129.04; (3) At an adjudication hearing under Missouri supreme court rule 128.02 for any felony offense or at any detention hearing arising from a misdemeanor or felony motion to modify or revoke, including the acceptance of an admission; (4) At a dispositional hearing under Missouri supreme court rule 128.03; or (5) At a hearing on a motion to modify or revoke supervision under subdivision (2) or (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.215, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 2017 S.B. 160, A.L. 2021 H.B. 432 merged with S.B. 53 & 60, A.L. 2025 H.B. 737 & 486 merged with S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.221 Religion considered in placing child.

211.221. Religion considered in placing child. — In placing a child in or committing a child to the custody of an individual or of a private agency or institution the court, children's division, or any child-placing agency contracting with the state to provide foster care services shall whenever practicable select either a person, or an agency or institution governed by persons of the same religious faith as that of the parents of such child, or in case of a difference in the religious faith of the parents, then of the religious faith of the child or if the religious faith of the child is not ascertainable, then of the faith of either of the parents. The department of social services may contract to implement the provisions of this section. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.230, A.L. 2025 H.B. 737 & 486)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.231 Indeterminate commitments, exception - exchange of information by court and ...

211.231. Indeterminate commitments, exception — exchange of information by court and institution or agency. — 1. All commitments made by the juvenile court shall be for an indeterminate period of time, unless the child is committed pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of section 211.181 , and shall not continue beyond the child's twenty-first birthday. 2. Whenever the court commits a child to an institution or agency, it shall transmit with the order of commitment a summary of its information concerning the child, and the institution or agency shall give to the court such information concerning the child as the court may require from time to time so long as the child is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.210, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.241 Court orders to parents for support of children, procedure - county to ...

211.241. Court orders to parents for support of children, procedure — county to support, when. — 1. When the juvenile court finds a child to be within the purview of applicable provisions of section 211.031 it may in the same or subsequent proceedings, either on its own motion or upon the application of any person, institution or agency having the custody of such child, proceed to inquire into the ability of the parent of the child to support it or to contribute to its support. If the parent does not voluntarily appear for the proceeding, he shall be summoned in the same manner as in civil cases and the summons in the case may issue to any county of the state. 2. If the court finds that the parent is able to support the child or to contribute to its support, the court may enter an order requiring the parent to support the child or to contribute to its support and to pay the costs of collecting the judgment. 3. The court may enforce the order by execution and the execution may issue on request of the juvenile officer or any person, agency or institution which has been awarded custody of the child. No deposit or bond for costs shall be required as a condition for the issuance or service of the execution. No property is exempt from execution upon a judgment or decree made under this section, and all wages or other sums due the parent is subject to garnishment or execution in any proceedings under this section. 4. Otherwise the necessary support of the child shall, unless the court commits the child to a person or institution willing to receive it without charge, be paid out of the funds of the county but only upon approval of the judge of the juvenile court. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.240) (1979) Statutory authority to require and enforce contribution by parent for support of child under jurisdiction of juvenile court implies authority to adjudicate paternity. Miller v. Russell (A.), 593 S.W.2d 598.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.251 Modification of court orders.

211.251. Modification of court orders. — 1. A decree of the juvenile court made under the provisions of section 211.181 may be modified at any time on the court's own motion. 2. The juvenile officer, the parent, guardian, legal custodian, spouse, relative or next friend of a child committed to the custody of an institution or agency may, at any time, petition the court for a modification of the order of custody. The court may deny the petition without hearing or may, in its discretion, conduct a hearing upon the issues raised and may make any orders relative to the issues as it deems proper. 3. The authority of the juvenile court to modify a decree is subject to the provisions of chapter 219 . (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.250, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al.) 1955) Where parent seeks modification of court's order after finding that children were neglected and award of custody of children to himself, his morals are to be considered and burden is on him to show benefit to children. Dansker v. Dansker (A.), 279 S.W.2d 505. (1955) Motion of minor children by their natural parents to modify judgments finding them abandoned children and awarding their custody to third persons, should be granted where natural parents were fit persons to have custody and able to care for them. State v. Pogue (A.), 282 S.W.2d 582. (1956) Adjudication by juvenile court that child was a neglected child under the juvenile court law does not permanently deprive parent of the right to custody and in adoption case court must find willful abandonment or neglect to provide proper care for one year before parent's consent to adoption is unnecessary. In re Slaughter (A.), 290 S.W.2d 408.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.261 Appeals.

211.261. Appeals. — 1. An appeal shall be allowed to the child from any final judgment, order or decree made under the provisions of this chapter and may be taken on the part of the child by its parent, guardian, legal custodian, spouse, relative or next friend. An appeal shall be allowed to a parent from any final judgment, order or decree made under the provisions of this chapter which adversely affects him. An appeal shall be allowed to the juvenile officer from any final judgment, order or decree made under this chapter, except that no such appeal shall be allowed concerning a final determination pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 . Notice of appeal shall be filed within thirty days after the final judgment, order or decree has been entered but neither the notice of appeal nor any motion filed subsequent to the final judgment acts as a supersedeas unless the court so orders. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, an appeal shall be allowed to the: (1) Juvenile officer from any order suppressing evidence, a confession or an admission, in proceedings under subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 ; or (2) Parent, guardian ad litem, child's counsel, or juvenile officer from any order changing or modifying the placement of a child. 3. The appeal provided for in subsection 2 of this section shall be an interlocutory appeal, filed in the appropriate district of the Missouri court of appeals. Notice of such interlocutory appeal shall be filed within three days of the entry of the order of trial court; the time limits applicable to such appeal shall be the same as in interlocutory appeals allowed to the state in criminal cases. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.260, A.L. 1994 S.B. 657, A.L. 2021 S.B. 71, A.L. 2025 H.B. 737 & 486 merged with S.B. 43) (1954) An appeal from a juvenile court judgment finding minor delinquent in that he committed burglary and larceny is not within the jurisdiction of the supreme court either as a case of felony or as a civil case where the state is a party. State v. Harold, 364 Mo. 1052, 271 S.W.2d 527. (1958) A juvenile proceeding is not a criminal case but partakes of a "civil" character so that on appeal reviewing court is not required to examine record in light of motion for new trial as required by § 547.270 , RSMo. In re C . . . . . . . (A.), 314 S.W.2d 756.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.271 Court orders not to affect civil rights - not evidence, exception.

211.271. Court orders not to affect civil rights — not evidence, exception. — 1. No adjudication by the juvenile court upon the status of a child shall be deemed a conviction nor shall the adjudication operate to impose any of the civil disabilities ordinarily resulting from conviction nor shall the child be found guilty or be deemed a criminal by reason of the adjudication. 2. No child shall be charged with a crime or convicted unless the case is transferred to a court of general jurisdiction as provided in this chapter. 3. After a child is taken into custody as provided in section 211.131 , all admissions, confessions, and statements by the child to the juvenile officer and juvenile court personnel and all evidence given in cases under this chapter, as well as all reports and records of the juvenile court, are not lawful or proper evidence against the child and shall not be used for any purpose whatsoever in any proceeding, civil or criminal, other than proceedings under this chapter. 4. The disposition made of a child and the evidence given in the court does not operate to disqualify the child in any future civil or military service application or appointment. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.270, A.L. 1969 p. 353) (1970) Statement made to juvenile officer by juvenile and considered by juvenile court in deciding whether juvenile should be tried as adult is not lawful or proper evidence against juvenile in any criminal, civil, or other proceeding. State v. Arbeiter (Mo.), 449 S.W.2d 627. (1971) Refusal by trial court to allow defendant to impeach state's four principal witnesses, adults at time of trial, on the basis that each had previously committed an offense while a juvenile, which would have been a crime if committed by an adult, was upheld. State v. Williams (Mo.), 473 S.W.2d 388. (1973) Held that Miranda warning must be understood by juvenile to be effectively waived. Juvenile has right to have parental protection at the time of custodial interrogation. Failure to have an attorney or a natural parent, guardian or adult friend present during custodial questioning barred introduction of confession in juvenile proceedings. In re K. W. B. (A.), 500 S.W.2d 275. (1974) Under subsection 3 of this section, subject to constitutional protections being observed, any statements, admissions or confessions obtained by juvenile officer from juvenile are admissible in proceedings under Ch. 211 to determine "delinquency" which may lead to commitment to a state institution. In Interest of M_________ C________ (A.), 504 S.W.2d 641. (1974) Held that failure to warn juvenile that he might be tried as an adult in connection with giving of Miranda warning was insufficient when juvenile was in fact tried as an adult and statement made to police was inadmissible. State v. McMillan (Mo.), 514 S.W.2d 528. (1974) Held that failure to warn a defendant that he may be certified and tried as an adult will bar any admission made to juvenile court personnel and will prohibit use of physical evidence obtained as a result of such admission or statement in a subsequent trial as an adult. State v. Ross (A.), 516 S.W.2d 311. (1975) Held that Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, does not amount to a general condemnation of juvenile confidentiality provisions and that where testimony of witness was cumulative refusal to allow cross-examination on juvenile record to attack credibility was not a denial of the right of effective cross-examination. State v. Walters (A.), 528 S.W.2d 790. (1984) Prohibition against the use of a juvenile's records in any civil or criminal proceeding is intended to protect the juvenile, and was held to have no application where the defendant in a wrongful death action sought the use of such records to rebut damage claims based on the death of the juvenile. Smith v. Harold's Supermarket, Inc. (Mo. App.), 685 S.W.2d 859. (1992) Trial court violated the Eighth Amendment by refusing to give the mitigating-circumstance instruction that defendant requested — "The defendant has no significant history of prior criminal activity." Missouri statutes prohibit the introduction of a defendant's juvenile record for any purpose. Lashley v. Armontrout, 957 F.2d 1495 (8th Cir.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.281 Costs how adjudged, collected.

211.281. Costs how adjudged, collected. — The costs of the proceedings in any case in the juvenile court may, in the discretion of the court be adjudged against the parents of the child involved or the informing witness as provided in section 211.081 , as the case may be, and collected as provided by law. All costs not so collected shall be paid by the county. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.320) (1976) Fees of appointed counsel in juvenile court matters are not "costs" and county is not required to pay appointed attorneys who represent indigent juveniles. State ex rel. Cain v. Mitchell (Mo.), 543 S.W.2d 785.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.291 Juvenile courtroom in counties of first and second class - any judge of ...

211.291. Juvenile courtroom in counties of first and second class — any judge of circuit may hold court, when. — 1. In counties of the first and second class and in the city of St. Louis a courtroom, to be designated the juvenile courtroom, shall be provided by the county or circuit court of the county or city, as the case may be, for the hearing of cases under this chapter. 2. In case of the absence or inability of the judge of the juvenile court in any such county to hold court, any one of the circuit judges in the judicial circuit may perform that duty. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.280)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.301 Juvenile court held in chambers or other room in counties of third and ...

211.301. Juvenile court held in chambers or other room in counties of third and fourth class — transfer of judges. — 1. In counties of the third and fourth class hearings may be conducted in the judge's chambers or in such other room or apartment as may be provided or designated by the judge of the juvenile court. 2. In case of the absence or inability of the juvenile judge to hold court, he may request the supreme court to assign another circuit judge to perform that duty. Any juvenile judge having more than one county within his circuit, may, in his discretion, and in the interests of the welfare of the child involved, act upon a juvenile case arising within that circuit, irrespective of where, within the circuit, he may then be holding court. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.290)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.311 Clerk of circuit court to act for juvenile court.

211.311. Clerk of circuit court to act for juvenile court. — The clerk of the circuit court shall act as the clerk of the juvenile court. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.300, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634) Effective 1-2-79

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.319 Juvenile court records and proceedings, abuse and neglect cases, procedure.

211.319. Juvenile court records and proceedings, abuse and neglect cases, procedure. — 1. On or before July 1, 2005, all juvenile court proceedings conducted pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 and for termination of parental rights cases pursuant to sections 211.442 to 211.487 initiated by a juvenile officer or the division shall be open to the public; except that, when the parent has consented in writing to the termination of his or her parental rights in conjunction with a placement with a licensed child-placing agency under subsection 6 of section 453.010 , the hearing shall be closed. The court, on its own motion, may exclude for good cause shown any person or persons from the proceedings to protect the welfare and best interests of the child and for exceptional circumstances. Any party to a juvenile court proceeding referred to in this subsection, except the state, may file a motion requesting that the general public be excluded from the proceeding or any portion of the proceeding. Upon the filing of such motion, the court shall hear arguments by the parties, but no evidence, and shall make a determination whether closure is in the best interest of the parties or whether it is in the public interest to deny such motion. The court shall make a finding on the record when a motion to close a hearing pursuant to this section is made and heard by the court. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, the general public shall be excluded from all juvenile court proceedings referred to in subsection 1 of this section during the testimony of any child or victim and only such persons who have a direct interest in the case or in the work of the court will be admitted to the proceedings. 3. For juvenile court proceedings described in subsection 1 of this section, pleadings and orders of the juvenile court other than confidential files and those specifically ordered closed by the juvenile court judge shall be open to the general public. For purposes of this section, "confidential file" means all other records and reports considered closed or confidential by law, including but not limited to medical reports, psychological or psychiatric evaluations, investigation reports of the children's division, social histories, home studies, and police reports and law enforcement records. Only persons who are found by the court to have a legitimate interest shall be allowed access to confidential or closed files. In determining whether a person has a legitimate interest, the court shall consider the nature of the proceedings, the welfare and safety of the public, and the interest of any child involved. 4. For records made available to the public pursuant to this section: (1) The identity of any child involved except the perpetrator shall not be disclosed and all references in such records to the identity of any child involved except the perpetrator shall be redacted prior to disclosure to the public; and (2) All information that may identify or lead to the disclosure of the identity of a reporter of child abuse under sections 210.109 to 210.183 and section 352.400 shall not be disclosed to the public. 5. The provisions of this section shall apply to juvenile court proceedings and records specified in this section in which the initial pleadings are filed on or after July 1, 2005. (L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2007 S.B. 84)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.321 Juvenile court records, confidentiality, exceptions - records of peace ...

211.321. Juvenile court records, confidentiality, exceptions — records of peace officers, exceptions, release of certain information to victim. — 1. Records of juvenile court proceedings as well as all information obtained and social records prepared in the discharge of official duty for the court shall not be open to inspection or their contents disclosed, except by order of the court to persons having a legitimate interest therein, unless a petition or motion to modify is sustained which charges the child with an offense which, if committed by an adult, would be a class A felony under the criminal code of Missouri, or capital murder, first degree murder, or second degree murder or except as provided in subsection 2 of this section. In addition, whenever a report is required under section 557.026 , there shall also be included a complete list of certain violations of the juvenile code for which the defendant had been adjudicated a delinquent while a juvenile. This list shall be made available to the probation officer and shall be included in the presentence report. The violations to be included in the report are limited to the following: rape, sodomy, murder, kidnapping, robbery, arson, burglary or any acts involving the rendering or threat of serious bodily harm. The supreme court may promulgate rules to be followed by the juvenile courts in separating the records. 2. In all proceedings under subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , the records of the juvenile court as well as all information obtained and social records prepared in the discharge of official duty for the court shall be kept confidential and shall be open to inspection only by order of the judge of the juvenile court or as otherwise provided by statute. In all proceedings under subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 the records of the juvenile court as well as all information obtained and social records prepared in the discharge of official duty for the court shall be kept confidential and may be open to inspection without court order only as follows: (1) The juvenile officer is authorized at any time: (a) To provide information to or discuss matters concerning the child, the violation of law or the case with the victim, witnesses, officials at the child's school, law enforcement officials, prosecuting attorneys, any person or agency having or proposed to have legal or actual care, custody or control of the child, or any person or agency providing or proposed to provide treatment of the child. Information received pursuant to this paragraph shall not be released to the general public, but shall be released only to the persons or agencies listed in this paragraph; (b) To make public information concerning the offense, the substance of the petition, the status of proceedings in the juvenile court and any other information which does not specifically identify the child or the child's family; (2) After a child has been adjudicated delinquent pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 211.031 , for an offense which would be a felony if committed by an adult, the records of the dispositional hearing and proceedings related thereto shall be open to the public to the same extent that records of criminal proceedings are open to the public. However, the social summaries, investigations or updates in the nature of presentence investigations, and status reports submitted to the court by any treating agency or individual after the dispositional order is entered shall be kept confidential and shall be opened to inspection only by order of the judge of the juvenile court; (3) As otherwise provided by statute; (4) In all other instances, only by order of the judge of the juvenile court. 3. Peace officers' records, if any are kept, of children shall be kept separate from the records of persons eighteen years of age or over and shall not be open to inspection or their contents disclosed, except by order of the court. This subsection does not apply to children who are transferred to courts of general jurisdiction as provided by section 211.071 or to juveniles convicted under the provisions of sections 578.421 to 578.437 . This subsection does not apply to the inspection or disclosure of the contents of the records of peace officers for the purpose of pursuing a civil forfeiture action pursuant to the provisions of section 195.140 . 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the release of information and data to persons or organizations authorized by law to compile statistics relating to juveniles. The court shall adopt procedures to protect the confidentiality of children's names and identities. 5. The court may, either on its own motion or upon application by the child or his or her representative, or upon application by the juvenile officer, enter an order to destroy all social histories, records, and information, other than the official court file, and may enter an order to seal the official court file, as well as all peace officers' records, at any time after the child has reached his or her eighteenth birthday if the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child that such action or any part thereof be taken, unless the jurisdiction of the court is continued beyond the child's eighteenth birthday, in which event such action or any part thereof may be taken by the court at any time after the closing of the child's case. 6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the release of general information regarding the informal adjustment or formal adjudication of the disposition of a child's case to a victim or a member of the immediate family of a victim of any offense committed by the child. Such general information shall not be specific as to location and duration of treatment or detention or as to any terms of supervision. 7. Records of juvenile court proceedings as well as all information obtained and social records prepared in the discharge of official duty for the court shall be disclosed to the child fatality review panel reviewing the child's death pursuant to section 210.192 unless the juvenile court on its own motion, or upon application by the juvenile officer, enters an order to seal the records of the victim child. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.310 , A.L. 1969 H.B. 227, A.L. 1980 S.B. 512, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1993 H.B. 562, A.L. 1994 S.B. 595, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.322 Reports on delinquency and prevention by court on request by division of ...

211.322. Reports on delinquency and prevention by court on request by division of youth services. — The juvenile division of each circuit court shall report statistics and information relating to the nature, extent and causes of and conditions contributing to the delinquency of children and information relating to the existence and effectiveness of delinquency prevention and rehabilitation programs operated by the courts, upon request of the division of youth services, to the division of youth services. (L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.326 State courts administrator - valuation of services, development of ...

211.326. State courts administrator — valuation of services, development of standards, processes, guidelines relating to juvenile court — consideration of racial disparity. — 1. The state courts administrator shall: (1) Evaluate existing services by establishing performance standards including performance standards for juvenile courts receiving diversion funds; (2) Develop standards for orientation training for all new juvenile court professional personnel, including juvenile officers, deputy juvenile officers and other personnel deemed necessary by the state courts administrator; (3) Develop standards for continuing education for existing juvenile court professional personnel, including juvenile officers, deputy juvenile officers and other personnel deemed necessary by the state courts administrator; (4) Develop a process to evaluate services and collect relevant outcome data; (5) Develop a standardized assessment form for classifying juvenile offenders; and (6) Develop guidelines for juvenile court judges to use in determining the length of time a child may be detained prior to informal adjustment or formal adjudication. 2. Standards, training and assessment forms developed pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall be developed considering racial disparities in the juvenile justice system. (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al. § 3)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.327 Data to be provided to state courts administrator - orientation training, ...

211.327. Data to be provided to state courts administrator — orientation training, continuing education. — The juvenile court shall: (1) Provide to the state courts administrator outcome data for youth receiving formal and informal services on forms developed by the state courts administrator; (2) Require new juvenile court professional personnel to have orientation training as provided in section 211.326 ; (3) Require existing professional personnel to have continuing education as provided in section 211.326 . (L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al. § 4)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.331 Detention facilities, superintendent, appointment, compensation - ...

211.331. Detention facilities, superintendent, appointment, compensation — acquisition of land (counties of first and second classification). — 1. In each county of the first and second classifications and in the city of St. Louis, it is the duty of the county commission, or, where there is no county commission, such other authorized body, to provide a place of detention for children coming within the provisions of this chapter. It is also the duty of the county commission or other authorized body to provide offices for the personnel of the juvenile court. 2. The place of detention shall be so located and arranged that the child being detained does not come in contact, at any time or in any manner, with adults convicted or under arrest, and the care of children in detention shall approximate as closely as possible the care of children in good homes. 3. The place of detention shall be in charge of a superintendent. The judge of the juvenile court or the family court administrator, if provided by local rule, shall appoint and fix the compensation and maintenance of the superintendent and of any assistants or other personnel required to operate the detention facility. Such compensation and maintenance are payable out of funds of the county. 4. The county commission or other governing body of the county is authorized to lease or to acquire by purchase, gift or devise land for such purpose, and to erect buildings thereon and to provide funds to equip and maintain the same for the subsistence and education of the children placed therein. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.160, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1226) (1979) County charter provision relating to power of a county official to control places of detention and correction for juveniles was without effect as statute placed control of such facilities in juvenile court. State ex rel. St. Louis County v. Edwards, et al. (Mo.), 589 S.W.2d 283.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.332 Detention facilities not required to be provided by certain second class ...

211.332. Detention facilities not required to be provided by certain second class counties — law applicable for facilities which are maintained in those counties. — Notwithstanding the provisions of section 211.331 or any other provision of law in conflict with the provisions of this section, no county which becomes a county of the second class after September 28, 1987, shall be required to provide a place of detention for children. The governing body of any such county may provide such a facility, and if it does so, then all provisions of law relating to the operation and support of such a facility by a county of second class shall be applicable. (L. 1987 S.B. 65, et al.) Effective 1-1-88

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.341 Detention facilities, how provided - government (third and fourth class ...

211.341. Detention facilities, how provided — government (third and fourth class counties). — 1. Counties of the third and fourth classes within one judicial circuit, shall, upon the written recommendation of the circuit judge of that judicial circuit, establish a place of juvenile detention to serve all of the counties within that judicial circuit, and in like manner, the counties shall supply offices for the juvenile officers of that circuit. The recommendation of the circuit judge shall be made only after a hearing conducted by him, after thirty days' notice, to determine the need and feasibility of establishing such a place of detention within the judicial circuit. The provisions of section 211.331 apply as to the form of operation and means of maintenance of the place of detention, except that the total cost of establishment and operation of the places of detention shall be prorated among the several counties within that judicial circuit upon a ratio to be determined by a comparison of the respective populations of the counties. The point of location of the place of juvenile detention shall be determined by the circuit judge of the judicial circuit. 2. Circuit judges of any two or more adjoining judicial circuits after a hearing as provided in subsection 1 may, by agreement confirmed by judicial order, and in the interest of economy of administration, establish one place of juvenile detention to serve their respective judicial circuits. In such event, the circuit judges so agreeing shall jointly govern the affairs of the place of detention and the cost thereof shall be apportioned among the counties served in the manner provided for in subsection 1. 3. Any county of the third or fourth class desiring to provide its own place of juvenile detention may do so in the manner prescribed for counties of the first and second classes. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.170)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.343 Detention facilities, standards and rules for operation.

211.343. Detention facilities, standards and rules for operation. — The Missouri supreme court shall by January 1, 1991, establish rules or standards for the operation of juvenile detention facilities. (L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al. § 6)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.351 Juvenile officers, appointment - costs paid, how - grievance review ...

211.351. Juvenile officers, appointment — costs paid, how — grievance review committee of circuit, appointment, members. — 1. The court or the family court administrator in circuits where a family court administrator has been appointed to act as the appointing authority under section 487.060 shall appoint a juvenile officer and other necessary juvenile court personnel to serve under the direction of the court in each county of the first and second class and the circuit judge in circuits comprised of third and fourth class counties: (1) May appoint a juvenile officer and other necessary personnel to serve the judicial circuit; or (2) Circuit judges of any two or more adjoining circuits may by agreement, confirmed by judicial order, appoint a juvenile officer and other necessary personnel to serve their respective judicial circuits and, in such a case, the juvenile officers and other persons appointed shall serve under the joint direction of the judges so agreeing. 2. The presiding judge of the circuit shall ensure that any case in the family court or juvenile court division in which a juvenile officer is a participant is not heard by a judge who is the appointing authority for the juvenile officer or other necessary juvenile employees. 3. In the event a juvenile officer and other juvenile court personnel are appointed to serve as provided in subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection 1 of this section, the total cost to the counties for the compensation of these persons shall be prorated among the several counties and upon a ratio to be determined by a comparison of the respective populations of the counties. 4. In each judicial circuit, a grievance review committee shall be appointed by the circuit court en banc to serve as final administrative authority of a grievance regarding personnel policy or action that negatively affects an employee of the family court and/or juvenile court who is not governed by the Missouri circuit court personnel system. The grievance review committee may be comprised of either the circuit court en banc, a committee of not less than three circuit or associate circuit judges, or other body established by local court rule. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.340, A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 2017 S.B. 160)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.355 Missouri state juvenile justice advisory board, members, report.

211.355. Missouri state juvenile justice advisory board, members, report. — 1. There is hereby created within the office of state courts administrator the "Missouri State Juvenile Justice Advisory Board", which shall provide consultation and recommendations regarding ongoing best practices within the juvenile court system and juvenile officer standards. The board shall consist of the following members: (1) A judge of a juvenile or family court as appointed by the supreme court of Missouri; (2) A juvenile officer as appointed by the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association; (3) A foster parent appointed by the Missouri state foster care and adoption board; (4) One attorney representing parents' interests appointed by the Missouri Bar Association; (5) One guardian ad litem appointed by the Missouri Bar Association; (6) A representative from a child advocacy center to be appointed by the Missouri Network of Child Advocacy Centers; (7) A prosecuting attorney appointed by the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys; (8) A law enforcement representative as designated by the Missouri Sheriffs' Association; (9) A law enforcement representative as designated by the Missouri Police Chiefs Association; and (10) The following shall be ex officio voting members: (a) The director of the children's division or the director's designee; (b) The director of the division of youth services or the director's designee; (c) The director of the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association or the director's designee; (d) The executive director of the Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocate Association or the director's designee; (e) The director of the office of child advocate or the director's designee; and (f) The director of the public defender's office or the director's designee. 2. All appointed members of the board shall serve for a term of four years. Members may be reappointed to the board by their entities for consecutive terms. All vacancies on the board shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner in which the board membership which is vacant was originally filled. Members of the board shall serve without compensation. 3. The board shall elect officers from the membership consisting of a chairperson and secretary. 4. The board shall meet a minimum of four times per calendar year. 5. The board shall provide to the office of state courts administrator, the office of child advocate, and the joint committee on child abuse and neglect a written annual report of recommendations and activities conducted and made. (L. 2016 H.B. 2355)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.361 Qualifications of juvenile officer, how determined - effect on persons now ...

211.361. Qualifications of juvenile officer, how determined — effect on persons now in office. — 1. Whenever the need arises for the appointment of a juvenile officer, the court or the family court administrator in circuits where a family court administrator has been appointed to act as the appointing authority under section 487.060 shall either: (1) Provide, by rule of court, for open competitive written and oral examinations and create an eligible list of persons who possess the qualifications prescribed by subdivision (2) and who have successfully passed such examination; or (2) Appoint any person over the age of twenty-one years who has completed satisfactorily four years of college education with a major in sociology or related subjects or who, in lieu of such academic training, has had four years or more experience in social work with juveniles in probation or allied services. 2. This section does not terminate the existing appointment nor present term of office of any juvenile officer or deputy juvenile officer in any county, but it applies to any appointment to be made after the existing appointment or term of office of any incumbent terminates or expires for any reason whatsoever. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.350, A.L. 2017 S.B. 160)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.381 Compensation of juvenile court personnel - expenses - salary adjustments.

211.381. Compensation of juvenile court personnel — expenses — salary adjustments. — 1. In each judicial circuit the following employees of the juvenile court shall annually receive as compensation the following amounts: (1) One juvenile officer, beginning January 1, 1985, twenty-one thousand six hundred ninety dollars; beginning January 1, 1986, twenty-four thousand six hundred ninety dollars; (2) One chief deputy juvenile officer and the chief officer assigned to courts of domestic relations, beginning January 1, 1985, eighteen thousand six hundred fifty dollars; beginning January 1, 1986, twenty thousand six hundred fifty dollars; (3) Each deputy juvenile officer, class 1, beginning January 1, 1985, sixteen thousand three hundred ten dollars; beginning January 1, 1986, eighteen thousand ten dollars; (4) Each deputy juvenile officer, class 2, beginning January 1, 1985, fourteen thousand five hundred eighty dollars; beginning January 1, 1986, sixteen thousand eighty dollars; (5) Each deputy juvenile officer, class 3, beginning January 1, 1985, twelve thousand nine hundred fifty dollars; beginning January 1, 1986, fourteen thousand three hundred fifty dollars. 2. On September 28, 1985, the compensation of the employees of the juvenile court provided by subsection 1 of this section shall be increased by an amount equivalent to the annual salary adjustment approved pursuant to section 476.405 for employees of the judicial department for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1985, and on January 1, 1986, salaries shall be increased to the amount specified in subsection 1 of this section. 3. After January 1, 1986, each juvenile officer shall receive in addition to any salary provided by subsections 1 and 2 of this section any salary adjustments approved after September 28, 1985, pursuant to section 476.405 . After January 1, 1986, each chief deputy juvenile officer, chief officer assigned to courts of domestic relations and deputy juvenile officers shall receive in addition to any salary provided by subsections 1 and 2 of this section an amount equivalent to any salary adjustments approved after September 28, 1985, provided to employees of the judicial department pursuant to section 476.405 . Each such salary adjustment shall be applicable to the total compensation provided by subsections 1, 2, and 3 of this section. 4. Actual expenses, including mileage allowance not to exceed that amount allowed state officers for each mile traveled on official business but exclusive of office expense, incurred by the employees while in the performance of their official duties shall be reimbursed to them out of county or city funds upon the approval of the judge of the juvenile court. 5. Except for counties of the second class in circuits composed of a single county of the second class and counties of the second class in circuits composed of two counties of the second class, in second, third and fourth class counties the compensation for employees of the juvenile court provided by this section is the total amount of compensation the employee shall receive for duties pertaining to the juvenile court and includes the compensation provided by any other provision of law. 6. Beginning on August 28, 1993, all deputy juvenile officers which were class 4 prior to August 28, 1993, shall become class 3 deputy juvenile officers. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.360, A.L. 1965 p. 362, A.L. 1967 p. 333, A.L. 1972 H.B. 1331, A.L. 1977 S.B. 121, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1984 S.B. 694, S.B. 581, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1554 Revision, A.L. 1993 S.B. 88 merged with S.B. 180) Revisor's Note: Salary adjustment index is printed, as required by § 476.405, in Appendix D. CROSS REFERENCE: Higher mileage allowance to be paid by county, when, 50.333

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.382 Professionals retained by juvenile court, when.

211.382. Professionals retained by juvenile court, when. — As a provider of programs and services to children and families at the local level, the juvenile court system may recruit and retain qualified professionals to provide vital services to children in local communities and to the citizens of the state. In order to provide these critical services, an enhanced partnership between the state and the counties shall be established. This partnership provides greater assistance to both single and multicounty circuits by the state assuming the juvenile court employees of the multicounty circuits as state employees while maintaining the current status of juvenile court employees in a single county circuit in which all juvenile court employees are provided with retirement and other fringe benefits at the time of this enactment. (L. 1998 H.B. 971) Effective 7-1-99

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.393 Definitions - compensation of juvenile officers, apportionment - state to ...

211.393. Definitions — compensation of juvenile officers, apportionment — state to reimburse salaries, when — multicounty circuit provisions — local juvenile court budget, amount maintained, when — exclusion from benefits, when. — 1. For purposes of this section, the following words and phrases mean: (1) "County retirement plan" , any public employees' defined benefit retirement plan established by law that provides retirement benefits to county or city employees, but not to include the county employees' retirement system as provided in sections 50.1000 to 50.1200 ; (2) "Juvenile court employee" , any person who is employed by a juvenile court in a position normally requiring one thousand hours or more of service per year; (3) "Juvenile officer" , any juvenile officer appointed pursuant to section 211.351 ; (4) "Multicounty circuit" , all other judicial circuits not included in the definition of a single county circuit; (5) "Single county circuit" , a judicial circuit composed of a single county of the first classification, including the circuit for the city of St. Louis; (6) "State retirement plan" , the public employees' retirement plan administered by the Missouri state employees' retirement system pursuant to chapter 104 . 2. Juvenile court employees employed in a single county circuit shall be subject to the following provisions: (1) The juvenile officer employed in such circuits on and prior to July 1, 1999, shall: (a) Be state employees on that portion of their salary received from the state pursuant to section 211.381 , and in addition be county employees on that portion of their salary provided by the county at a rate determined pursuant to section 50.640 ; (b) Receive state-provided benefits, including retirement benefits from the state retirement plan, on that portion of their salary paid by the state and may participate as members in a county retirement plan on that portion of their salary provided by the county except any juvenile officer whose service as a juvenile court officer is being credited based on all salary received from any source in a county retirement plan on June 30, 1999, shall not be eligible to receive state-provided benefits, including retirement benefits, or any creditable prior service as described in this section but shall continue to participate in such county retirement plan; (c) Receive creditable prior service in the state retirement plan for service rendered as a juvenile court employee prior to July 1, 1999, to the extent they have not already received credit for such service in a county retirement plan on salary paid to them for such service, if such service was rendered in a single county circuit or a multicounty circuit; except that if the juvenile officer forfeited such credit in such county retirement plan prior to being eligible to receive creditable prior service under this paragraph, they may receive service under this paragraph; (d) Receive creditable prior service pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision even though they already have received credit for such creditable service in a county retirement plan if they elect to forfeit their creditable service from such plan in which case such plan shall transfer to the state retirement plan an amount equal to the actuarial accrued liability for the forfeited creditable service, determined as if the person were going to continue to be an active member of the county retirement plan, less the amount of any refunds of member contributions; (e) Receive creditable prior service for service rendered as a juvenile court employee in a multicounty circuit in a position that was financed in whole or in part by a public or private grant, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (e) of subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section; (2) Juvenile officers who begin employment for the first time as a juvenile officer in a single county circuit on or after July 1, 1999, shall: (a) Be county employees and receive salary from the county at a rate determined pursuant to section 50.640 subject to reimbursement by the state as provided in section 211.381 ; and (b) Participate as members in the applicable county retirement plan subject to reimbursement by the state for the retirement contribution due on that portion of salary reimbursed by the state; (3) All other juvenile court employees who are employed in a single county circuit on or after July 1, 1999: (a) Shall be county employees and receive a salary from the county at a rate determined pursuant to section 50.640 ; and (b) Shall, in accordance with their status as county employees, receive other county-provided benefits including retirement benefits from the applicable county retirement plan if such employees otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for such benefits; (4) (a) The state shall reimburse each county comprised of a single county circuit for an amount equal to the greater of: a. Twenty-five percent of such circuit's total juvenile court personnel budget, excluding the salary for a juvenile officer, for calendar year 1997, and excluding all costs of retirement, health and other fringe benefits; or b. The sum of the salaries of one chief deputy juvenile officer and one deputy juvenile officer class I, as provided in section 211.381 ; (b) The state may reimburse a single county circuit up to fifty percent of such circuit's total calendar year 1997 juvenile court personnel budget, subject to appropriations. The state may reimburse, subject to appropriations, the following percentages of such circuits' total juvenile court personnel budget, expended for calendar year 1997, excluding the salary for a juvenile officer, and excluding all costs of retirement, health and other fringe benefits: thirty percent beginning July 1, 2000, until June 30, 2001; forty percent beginning July 1, 2001, until June 30, 2002; fifty percent beginning July 1, 2002; however, no county shall receive any reimbursement from the state in an amount less than the greater of: a. Twenty-five percent of the total juvenile court personnel budget of the single county circuit expended for calendar year 1997, excluding fringe benefits; or b. The sum of the salaries of one chief deputy juvenile officer and one deputy juvenile officer class I, as provided in section 211.381 ; (5) Each single county circuit shall file a copy of its initial 1997 and each succeeding year's budget with the office of the state courts administrator after January first each year and prior to reimbursement. The office of the state courts administrator shall make payment for the reimbursement from appropriations made for that purpose on or before July fifteenth of each year following the calendar year in which the expenses were made. The office of the state courts administrator shall submit the information from the budgets relating to full-time juvenile court personnel from each county to the general assembly; (6) Any single county circuit may apply to the office of the state courts administrator to become subject to subsection 3 of this section, and such application shall be approved subject to appropriation of funds for that purpose; (7) The state auditor may audit any single county circuit to verify compliance with the requirements of this section, including an audit of the 1997 budget. 3. Juvenile court employees in multicounty circuits shall be subject to the following provisions: (1) Juvenile court employees including detention personnel hired in 1998 in those multicounty circuits who began actual construction on detention facilities in 1996, employed in a multicounty circuit on or after July 1, 1999, shall: (a) Not be state employees unless they receive all salary from the state, which shall include any salary as provided in section 211.381 in addition to any salary provided by the applicable county or counties during calendar year 1997 and any general salary increase approved by the state of Missouri for fiscal year 1999 and fiscal year 2000; (b) Participate in the state retirement plan; (c) Receive creditable prior service in the state retirement plan for service rendered as a juvenile court employee prior to July 1, 1999, to the extent they have not already received credit for such service in a county retirement plan on salary paid to them for such service if such service was rendered in a single county circuit or a multicounty circuit, except that if they forfeited such credit in such county retirement plan prior to being eligible to receive creditable prior service under this paragraph, they may receive creditable service under this paragraph; (d) Receive creditable prior service pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subdivision even though they already have received credit for such creditable service in a county retirement plan if they elect within six months from the date they become participants in the state retirement plan pursuant to this section to forfeit their service from such plan in which case such plan shall transfer to the state retirement plan an amount equal to the actuarial accrued liability for the forfeited creditable service, determined as if the person was going to continue to be an active member of the county retirement plan, less the amount of any refunds of member contributions; (e) Receive creditable prior service for service rendered as a juvenile court employee in a multicounty circuit in a position that was financed in whole or in part by a public or private grant to the extent they have not already received credit for such service in a county retirement plan on salary paid to them for such service except that if they: a. Forfeited such credit in such county retirement plan prior to being eligible to receive creditable service under this paragraph, they may receive creditable service under paragraph (e) of this subdivision; b. Received credit for such creditable service in a county retirement plan, they may not receive creditable prior service pursuant to paragraph (e) of this subdivision unless they elect to forfeit their service from such plan, in which case such plan shall transfer to the state retirement plan an amount equal to the actuarial liability for the forfeited creditable service, determined as if the person was going to continue to be an active member of the county retirement plan, less the amount of any refunds of member contributions; c. Terminated employment prior to August 28, 2007, and apply to the board of trustees of the state retirement plan to be made and employed as a special consultant and be available to give opinions regarding retirement they may receive creditable service under paragraph (e) of this subdivision; d. Retired prior to August 28, 2007, and apply to the board of trustees of the state retirement plan to be made and employed as a special consultant and be available to give opinions regarding retirement, they shall have their retirement benefits adjusted so they receive retirement benefits equal to the amount they would have received had their retirement benefit been initially calculated to include such creditable prior service; or e. Purchased creditable prior service pursuant to section 104.344 or section 105.691 based on service as a juvenile court employee in a position that was financed in whole or in part by a public or private grant, they shall receive a refund based on the amount paid for such purchased service; (2) Juvenile court employee positions added after December 31, 1997, shall be terminated and not subject to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, unless the office of the state courts administrator requests and receives an appropriation specifically for such positions; (3) The salary of any juvenile court employee who becomes a state employee, effective July 1, 1999, shall be limited to the salary provided by the state of Missouri, which shall be set in accordance with guidelines established by the state pursuant to a salary survey conducted by the office of the state courts administrator, but such salary shall in no event be less than the amount specified in paragraph (a) of subdivision (1) of this subsection. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in subsection 1 of section 211.394 , such employees shall not be entitled to additional compensation paid by a county as a public officer or employee. Such employees shall be considered employees of the judicial branch of state government for all purposes; (4) All other employees of a multicounty circuit who are not juvenile court employees as defined in subsection 1 of this section shall be county employees subject to the county's own terms and conditions of employment; (5) In a single county circuit that changed from a multicounty circuit on or after August 28, 2016, any juvenile court employee, who receives all salary from the state, shall be a state employee, receive state-provided benefits under this subsection, including retirement benefits from the state retirement plan, and not be subject to subsection 2 of this section while employed in that circuit. 4. The receipt of creditable prior service as described in paragraph (c) of subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of this section and paragraph (c) of subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section is contingent upon the office of the state courts administrator providing the state retirement plan information, in a form subject to verification and acceptable to the state retirement plan, indicating the dates of service and amount of monthly salary paid to each juvenile court employee for such creditable prior service. 5. No juvenile court employee employed by any single or multicounty circuit shall be eligible to participate in the county employees' retirement system fund pursuant to sections 50.1000 to 50.1200 . 6. Each county in every circuit in which a juvenile court employee becomes a state employee shall maintain each year in the local juvenile court budget an amount, defined as "maintenance of effort funding" , not less than the total amount budgeted for all employees of the juvenile court including any juvenile officer, deputy juvenile officer, or other juvenile court employees in calendar year 1997, minus the state reimbursements as described in this section received for the calendar year 1997 personnel costs for the salaries of all such juvenile court employees who become state employees. The juvenile court shall provide a proposed budget to the county commission each year. The budget shall contain a separate section specifying all funds to be expended in the juvenile court. Such funding may be used for contractual costs for detention services, guardians ad litem, transportation costs for those circuits without detention facilities to transport children to and from detention and hearings, short-term residential services, indebtedness for juvenile facilities, expanding existing detention facilities or services, continuation of services funded by public grants or subsidy, and enhancing the court's ability to provide prevention, probation, counseling and treatment services. The county commission may review such budget and may appeal the proposed budget to the judicial finance commission pursuant to section 50.640 . 7. Any person who is employed on or after July 1, 1999, in a position covered by the state retirement plan or the transportation department and highway patrol retirement system and who has rendered service as a juvenile court employee in a judicial circuit that was not a single county of the first classification shall be eligible to receive creditable prior service in such plan or system as provided in subsections 2 and 3 of this section. For purposes of this subsection, the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of this section and paragraphs (c) and (d) of subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section that apply to the state retirement plan shall also apply to the transportation department and highway patrol retirement system . 8. (1) Any juvenile officer who is employed as a state employee in a multicounty circuit on or after July 1, 1999, shall not be eligible to participate in the state retirement plan as provided by this section unless such juvenile officer elects to: (a) Receive retirement benefits from the state retirement plan based on all years of service as a juvenile officer and a final average salary which shall include salary paid by the county and the state; and (b) Forfeit any county retirement benefits from any county retirement plan based on service rendered as a juvenile officer. (2) Upon making the election described in this subsection, the county retirement plan shall transfer to the state retirement plan an amount equal to the actuarial accrued liability for the forfeited creditable service determined as if the person was going to continue to be an active member of the county retirement plan, less the amount of any refunds of member contributions. 9. The elections described in this section shall be made on forms developed and made available by the state retirement plan. (L. 1965 p. 362, A.L. 1967 pp. 333, 335, A.L. 1972 H.B. 1331, A.L. 1977 S.B. 121, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1980 H.B. 1266, A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 1984 S.B. 581, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1554 Revision, A.L. 1988 S.B. 622, A.L. 1989 H.B. 502, et al., A.L. 1995 H.B. 174, et al., A.L. 1998 H.B. 971, A.L. 2004 S.B. 1195, A.L. 2006 S.B. 870, A.L. 2007 S.B. 406, A.L. 2016 S.B. 585) Effective 2-18-16 Revisor's Note: Salary adjustment index is printed, as required by § 476.405, in Appendix D. (2009) Statutory exclusion of juvenile office personnel from membership in County Employees' Retirement Fund is not clearly arbitrary or otherwise unconstitutional. Alderson v. State, 273 S.W.3d 533 (Mo.banc).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.394 Juvenile court personnel compensation not limited by state contribution - ...

211.394. Juvenile court personnel compensation not limited by state contribution — increases, procedure — certain constitutional provision not applicable (Hancock Amendment). — 1. The provisions of subsection 5 of section 211.381 , to the contrary notwithstanding, the salary determined pursuant to subsections 1, 2 and 3 of section 211.381 is a limit to the state contribution to the compensation paid to juvenile court personnel and is not a limit to the total compensation that may be paid. Any compensation above the amounts determined pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be approved by the judge of the juvenile court and the governing body of the city or county providing such additional compensation. 2. Any funds paid to the counties under the provisions of section 211.393 and this section shall not be considered to be a part of the total state revenue as defined in Article X, Section 18 of the Constitution of Missouri. (L. 1988 S.B. 622 §§ 1, 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.401 Duties of juvenile officers - may make arrests - cooperation.

211.401. Duties of juvenile officers — may make arrests — cooperation. — 1. The juvenile officer shall: (1) Make such investigations and furnish the court with such information and assistance as the judge may order; (2) Keep a written record of such investigations and offer such reports into evidence in accordance with law; (3) Take charge of children before and after the hearing as may be ordered by the court; (4) Perform such other duties and exercise such powers as the judge of the juvenile court may order. 2. The juvenile officer is vested with all the power and authority of sheriffs to make arrests and perform other duties incident to his office. 3. The juvenile officers or other persons acting as such in the several counties of the state shall cooperate with each other in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.380, A.L. 2017 S.B. 160)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.411 Law enforcement officials to assist and cooperate with juvenile officers.

211.411. Law enforcement officials to assist and cooperate with juvenile officers. — 1. It is the duty of circuit, prosecuting and city attorneys, and county counselors representing the state or a city in any court, to give the juvenile officer such aid and cooperation as may not be inconsistent with the duties of their offices. 2. It is the duty of police officers, sheriffs and other authorized persons taking a child into custody to give information of that fact immediately to the juvenile court or to the juvenile officer or one of his deputies and to furnish the juvenile court or the juvenile officer all the facts in their possession pertaining to the child, its parents, guardian or other persons interested in the child, together with the reasons for taking the child into custody. 3. It is the duty of all other public officials and departments to render all assistance and cooperation within their jurisdictional power which may further the objects of this chapter. The court is authorized to seek the cooperation of all societies and organizations having for their object the protection or aid of children and of any person or organization interested in the welfare of children. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.390, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634) Effective 1-2-79

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.421 Endangering the welfare of a child or interfering with orders of court.

211.421. Endangering the welfare of a child or interfering with orders of court. — 1. After any child has come under the care or control of the juvenile court as provided in this chapter, any person who thereafter encourages, aids, or causes the child to commit any act or engage in any conduct which would be injurious to the child's morals or health or who knowingly or negligently disobeys, violates or interferes with a lawful order of the court with relation to the child, is guilty of contempt of court, and shall be proceeded against as now provided by law and punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding six months or by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or by both such fine and imprisonment. 2. If it appears at a juvenile court hearing that any person eighteen years of age or over has violated section 568.045 or 568.050 by endangering the welfare of a child, the judge of the juvenile court shall refer the information to the prosecuting or circuit attorney, as the case may be, for appropriate proceedings. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.330 , A.L. 1999 H.B. 359 merged with S.B. 237, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.425 Registration of juvenile sex offenders, when - agencies required to ...

211.425. Registration of juvenile sex offenders, when — agencies required to register juveniles, when — registration form, contents — registry maintained — confidentiality of registry — penalty for failure to register — termination of requirement, when. — 1. Any person who has been adjudicated a delinquent by a juvenile court for committing or attempting to commit a sex-related offense which if committed by an adult would be considered a felony offense pursuant to chapter 566 including, but not limited to, rape, forcible sodomy, child molestation and sexual abuse, shall be considered a juvenile sex offender and shall be required to register as a juvenile sex offender by complying with the registration requirements provided for in this section, unless such juvenile adjudicated as a delinquent is fourteen years of age or older at the time of the offense and the offense adjudicated would be considered a felony under chapter 566 if committed by an adult, which is equal to or more severe than aggravated sexual abuse under 18 U.S.C. Section 2241, including any attempt or conspiracy to commit such offense, in which case, the juvenile shall be required to register as an adult sexual offender under sections 589.400 to 589.425 . This requirement shall also apply to any person who is or has been adjudicated a juvenile delinquent in any other state or federal jurisdiction for committing, attempting to commit, or conspiring to commit offenses which would be proscribed herein. 2. Any state agency having supervision over a juvenile required to register as a juvenile sex offender or any court having jurisdiction over a juvenile required to register as a juvenile sex offender, or any person required to register as a juvenile sex offender, shall, within ten days of the juvenile offender moving into any county of this state, register with the juvenile office of the county. If such juvenile offender changes residence or address, the state agency, court or person shall inform the juvenile office within ten days of the new residence or address and shall also be required to register with the juvenile office of any new county of residence. Registration shall be accomplished by completing a registration form similar to the form provided for in section 589.407 . Such form shall include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A statement in writing signed by the juvenile, giving the juvenile's name, address, Social Security number, phone number, school in which enrolled, place of employment, offense which requires registration, including the date, place, and a brief description of such offense, date and place of adjudication regarding such offense, and age and gender of the victim at the time of the offense; and (2) The fingerprints and a photograph of the juvenile. 3. Juvenile offices shall maintain the registration forms of those juvenile offenders in their jurisdictions who register as required by this section. Information contained on the registration forms shall be kept confidential and may be released by juvenile offices to only those persons and agencies who are authorized to receive information from juvenile court records as provided by law, including, but not limited to, those specified in section 211.321 . State agencies having custody of juveniles who fall within the registration requirements of this section shall notify the appropriate juvenile offices when such juvenile offenders are being transferred to a location falling within the jurisdiction of such juvenile offices. 4. Any juvenile who is required to register pursuant to this section but fails to do so or who provides false information on the registration form is subject to disposition pursuant to this chapter. Any person eighteen years of age or over who commits such violation is guilty of a class A misdemeanor as provided for in section 211.431 . 5. Any juvenile to whom the registration requirement of this section applies shall be informed by the official in charge of the juvenile's custody, upon the juvenile's discharge or release from such custody, of the requirement to register pursuant to this section. Such official shall obtain the address where such juvenile expects to register upon being discharged or released and shall report the juvenile's name and address to the juvenile office where the juvenile shall be required to register. This requirement to register upon discharge or release from custody does not apply in situations where the juvenile is temporarily released under guard or direct supervision from a detention facility or similar custodial facility. 6. The requirement to register as a juvenile sex offender shall terminate upon the juvenile offender reaching age twenty-one, unless such juvenile offender is required to register as an adult offender pursuant to section 589.400 . (L. 1999 H.B. 348, A.L. 2008 S.B. 714, et al., A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.431 Violation of law, class A misdemeanor.

211.431. Violation of law, class A misdemeanor. — Any person eighteen years of age or over who willfully violates, neglects or refuses to obey or perform any lawful order of the court, or who violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. (L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.410 , A.L. 1982 S.B. 497, A.L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800) Effective 1-01-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.435 Juvenile justice preservation fund - surcharge on traffic violations - ...

211.435. Juvenile justice preservation fund — surcharge on traffic violations — expenditures from fund, when. — 1. A "Juvenile Justice Preservation Fund" is hereby established in each county's circuit court for the purpose of implementing and maintaining the expansion of juvenile court jurisdiction to eighteen years of age. The fund shall consist of moneys collected under subsection 2 of this section and sections 488.315 and 558.003 , any gifts, bequests, and donations, and any other moneys appropriated by the general assembly. 2. For all traffic violations of any county ordinance or any violation of traffic laws of this state, including an infraction, in which a person has pled guilty, there shall be assessed as costs a surcharge in the amount of two dollars. No such surcharge shall be collected in any proceeding involving a violation of an ordinance or state law when the proceeding or defendant has been dismissed by the court or when costs are to be paid by the state, county, or municipality. Such surcharge shall be collected and disbursed by the clerk of the court as provided by sections 488.010 to 488.020 . The surcharge collected under this section shall be payable to the county circuit court juvenile justice preservation fund created in this section. Funds held by the state treasurer in the state juvenile justice preservation fund shall be payable and revert to the circuit court's juvenile justice preservation fund in the county of origination. 3. Expenditures from the county circuit court juvenile justice preservation fund shall be made at the discretion of the juvenile office for the circuit court and shall be used for the sole purpose of implementing and maintaining the expansion of juvenile court jurisdiction. 4. No moneys deposited in the juvenile justice preservation fund shall be expended for capital improvements. 5. To further promote the best interests of the children of the state of Missouri, moneys in the juvenile justice preservation fund shall not be used to replace or reduce the responsibilities of either the counties or the state to provide funding for existing and new juvenile treatment services as provided in this chapter and chapter 210 or funding as otherwise required by law. (L. 2018 S.B. 793 merged with S.B. 800, A.L. 2021 S.B. 53 & 60) Effective 7-14-21

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.436 Instruments of restraint prohibited, when - exceptions - procedure to use ...

211.436. Instruments of restraint prohibited, when — exceptions — procedure to use restraints. — 1. Instruments of restraint, including handcuffs, chains, irons, or straitjackets, shall not be used on a child during a proceeding in a juvenile court and shall be removed prior to the child's appearance before the court unless, after a hearing, the court finds both that: (1) The use of restraints is necessary due to one of the following factors: (a) Instruments of restraint are necessary to prevent physical harm to the child or another person; (b) The child has a history of disruptive courtroom behavior that has placed others in potentially harmful situations or presents a substantial risk of inflicting physical harm on himself or herself or others as evidenced by recent behavior; or (c) There is evidence that the child presents a substantial risk of flight from the courtroom; and (2) There are no less restrictive alternatives to restraints that will prevent flight or physical harm to the child or another person including, but not limited to, the presence of court personnel, law enforcement officers, or bailiffs. 2. If the juvenile officer believes that there is an immediate safety or flight risk, as provided under subsection 1 of this section, the juvenile officer shall advise the attorney for the child and make a request in writing prior to the commencement of the proceeding for the child to remain restrained during the court proceeding while in the presence of the parties to the proceeding. 3. If a request for restraints is made by the juvenile officer, the court shall order a hearing and provide the child's attorney an opportunity to be heard before the court orders the use of restraints. If restraints are ordered, the court shall make findings of fact in support of the order. 4. If restraints are used, the restraints shall allow the child limited movement of the hands to read and handle documents and writings necessary to the proceeding. Under no circumstances shall a child be restrained using restraints fixed to a wall, floor, furniture, or other stationary object. (L. 2025 S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.442 Definitions.

211.442. Definitions. — As used in sections 211.442 to 211.487 , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms mean: (1) "Child" , an individual under eighteen years of age; (2) "Minor" , any person who has not attained the age of eighteen years; (3) "Parent" , a biological parent or parents of a child, as well as, the husband of a natural mother at the time the child was conceived, or a parent or parents of a child by adoption, including both the mother and the putative father of a child. The putative father of a child shall have no legal relationship unless he, prior to the entry of a decree under sections 211.442 to 211.487 , has acknowledged the child as his own by affirmatively asserting his paternity. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 1, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.443 Construction of sections 211.442 to 211.487.

211.443. Construction of sections 211.442 to 211.487. — The provisions of sections 211.442 to 211.487 shall be construed so as to promote the best interests and welfare of the child as determined by the juvenile court in consideration of the following: (1) The recognition and protection of the constitutional rights of all parties in the proceedings; (2) The recognition and protection of the birth family relationship when possible and appropriate; and (3) The entitlement of every child to a permanent and stable home. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al. § 211.440)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.444 Termination of parental rights, when.

211.444. Termination of parental rights, when. — The juvenile court may, upon petition of the juvenile officer or a child-placing agency licensed under sections 210.481 to 210.536 in conjunction with a placement with such agency under subsection 6 of section 453.010 or a private attorney filing a petition for adoption under the provisions of chapter 453 , terminate the rights of a parent or receive the consent to a specific adoption or waiver of consent to adoption executed by a parent or named father to a child, including a child who is a ward of the court, if the court finds that such termination, consent to a specific adoption, or waiver of consent to adoption is in the best interests of the child, and the parent or named father has, in a properly executed writing under section 453.030 or 453.050 , consented to the termination of his or her parental rights, consented to a specific adoption, or waived consent to adoption. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 S.B. 674, A.L. 2007 S.B. 84, A.L. 2018 S.B. 800) CROSS REFERENCE: Application of law to adoption petitions filed on or after August 28, 1997, 453.012 (1987) Termination of parental rights of father was not in the best interest of adopted child even though father consented to termination where father sought termination of parental rights pursuant to this section in order to be relieved of financial obligations toward child imposed on him by divorce decree. In Interest of B.L.G., 731 S.W.2d 492 (Mo. App.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.447 Juvenile officer preliminary inquiry, when - petition to terminate parental ...

211.447. Juvenile officer preliminary inquiry, when — petition to terminate parental rights filed, when — juvenile court may terminate parental rights, when — investigation to be made — grounds for termination. — 1. Any information that could justify the filing of a petition to terminate parental rights may be referred to the juvenile officer by any person. The juvenile officer shall make a preliminary inquiry and if it appears that the information could justify the filing of a petition, the juvenile officer may take further action, including filing a petition. If it does not appear to the juvenile officer that a petition should be filed, such officer shall so notify the informant in writing within thirty days of the referral. Such notification shall include the reasons that the petition will not be filed. 2. Except as provided for in subsection 4 of this section, a petition to terminate the parental rights of the child's parent or parents shall be filed by the juvenile officer or the division, or if such a petition has been filed by another party, the juvenile officer or the division shall seek to be joined as a party to the petition, when: (1) Information available to the juvenile officer or the division establishes that the child has been in foster care for at least fifteen of the most recent twenty-two months; or (2) A court of competent jurisdiction has determined the child to be an abandoned child. For purposes of this subdivision, a "child" means any child under two years of age at the time of filing of the petition. The court may find that a child has been abandoned if: (a) The parent has left the child under circumstances that the identity of the child was unknown and could not be ascertained, despite diligent searching, and the parent has not come forward to claim the child; or (b) The parent has, without good cause, left the child without any provision for parental support and without making arrangements to visit or communicate with the child, although able to do so, or, for a period of sixty days when the child was under one year of age, willfully, substantially, and continuously neglected to provide the child with necessary care and protection; or (c) The parent has voluntarily relinquished a child under section 210.950 ; or (3) A court of competent jurisdiction has determined that the parent has: (a) Committed murder of another child of the parent; or (b) Committed voluntary manslaughter of another child of the parent; or (c) Aided or abetted, attempted, conspired or solicited to commit such a murder or voluntary manslaughter; or (d) Committed a felony assault that resulted in serious bodily injury to the child or to another child of the parent; or (4) The parent has been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony violation of chapter 566 , 567 , 568 , or 573 when the child or any child was a victim. As used in this subdivision, a "child" means any person who was under eighteen years of age at the time of the offense. 3. A termination of parental rights petition shall be filed by the juvenile officer or the division, or if such a petition has been filed by another party, the juvenile officer or the division shall seek to be joined as a party to the petition, within sixty days of the judicial determinations required in subsection 2 of this section, except as provided in subsection 4 of this section. Failure to comply with this requirement shall not deprive the court of jurisdiction to adjudicate a petition for termination of parental rights which is filed outside of sixty days. 4. If grounds exist for termination of parental rights pursuant to subsection 2 of this section, the juvenile officer or the division may, but is not required to, file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the child's parent or parents if: (1) The child is being cared for by a relative; or (2) There exists a compelling reason for determining that filing such a petition would not be in the best interest of the child, as documented in the permanency plan which shall be made available for court review; or (3) The family of the child has not been provided such services as provided for in section 211.183 . 5. The juvenile officer or the division may file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the child's parent when it appears that one or more of the following grounds for termination exist: (1) The child has been abandoned. For purposes of this subdivision a "child" means any child two years of age or older at the time of filing of the petition. The court shall find that the child has been abandoned if, for a period of six months or longer: (a) The parent has left the child under such circumstances that the identity of the child was unknown and could not be ascertained, despite diligent searching, and the parent has not come forward to claim the child; or (b) The parent has, for a period of six months immediately prior to the filing of the petition for termination of parental rights, willfully, substantially, and continuously neglected to provide the child with necessary care and protection; (2) The child has been abused or neglected. In determining whether to terminate parental rights pursuant to this subdivision, the court shall consider and make findings on the following conditions or acts of the parent: (a) A mental condition which is shown by competent evidence either to be permanent or such that there is no reasonable likelihood that the condition can be reversed and which renders the parent unable to knowingly provide the child the necessary care, custody and control; (b) Chemical dependency which prevents the parent from consistently providing the necessary care, custody and control of the child and which cannot be treated so as to enable the parent to consistently provide such care, custody and control; (c) A severe act or recurrent acts of physical, emotional or sexual abuse toward the child or any child in the family by the parent, including an act of incest, or by another under circumstances that indicate that the parent knew or should have known that such acts were being committed toward the child or any child in the family; or (d) Repeated or continuous failure by the parent, although physically or financially able, to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or education as defined by law, or other care and control necessary for the child's physical, mental, or emotional health and development. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit discrimination on the basis of disability or disease; (3) The child has been under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for a period of one year, and the court finds that the conditions which led to the assumption of jurisdiction still persist, or conditions of a potentially harmful nature continue to exist, that there is little likelihood that those conditions will be remedied at an early date so that the child can be returned to the parent in the near future, or the continuation of the parent-child relationship greatly diminishes the child's prospects for early integration into a stable and permanent home. In determining whether to terminate parental rights under this subdivision, the court shall consider and make findings on the following: (a) The terms of a social service plan entered into by the parent and the division and the extent to which the parties have made progress in complying with those terms; (b) The success or failure of the efforts of the juvenile officer, the division or other agency to aid the parent on a continuing basis in adjusting his circumstances or conduct to provide a proper home for the child; (c) A mental condition which is shown by competent evidence either to be permanent or such that there is no reasonable likelihood that the condition can be reversed and which renders the parent unable to knowingly provide the child the necessary care, custody and control; (d) Chemical dependency which prevents the parent from consistently providing the necessary care, custody and control over the child and which cannot be treated so as to enable the parent to consistently provide such care, custody and control; or (4) The child was conceived and born as a result of an act of forcible rape or rape in the first degree. When the biological father has pled guilty to, or is convicted of, the forcible rape or rape in the first degree of the birth mother, such a plea or conviction shall be conclusive evidence supporting the termination of the biological father's parental rights; or (5) (a) The parent is unfit to be a party to the parent and child relationship because of a consistent pattern of committing a specific abuse including, but not limited to, specific conditions directly relating to the parent and child relationship which are determined by the court to be of a duration or nature that renders the parent unable for the reasonably foreseeable future to care appropriately for the ongoing physical, mental, or emotional needs of the child. (b) It is presumed that a parent is unfit to be a party to the parent and child relationship upon a showing that: a. Within a three-year period immediately prior to the termination adjudication, the parent's parental rights to one or more other children were involuntarily terminated pursuant to subsection 2 or 4 of this section or subdivision (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection or similar laws of other states; b. If the parent is the birth mother and within eight hours after the child's birth, the child's birth mother tested positive and over eight-hundredths of one percent blood alcohol content pursuant to testing under section 577.020 for alcohol, or tested positive for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, a controlled substance as defined in section 195.010 , or a prescription drug as defined in section 196.973 , excepting those controlled substances or prescription drugs present in the mother's body as a result of medical treatment administered to the mother, and the birth mother is the biological mother of at least one other child who was adjudicated an abused or neglected minor by the mother or the mother has previously failed to complete recommended treatment services by the children's division through a family-centered services case; c. If the parent is the birth mother and at the time of the child's birth or within eight hours after a child's birth the child tested positive for alcohol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, a controlled substance as defined in section 195.010 , or a prescription drug as defined in section 196.973 , excepting those controlled substances or prescription drugs present in the mother's body as a result of medical treatment administered to the mother, and the birth mother is the biological mother of at least one other child who was adjudicated an abused or neglected minor by the mother or the mother has previously failed to complete recommended treatment services by the children's division through a family-centered services case; d. Within a three-year period immediately prior to the termination adjudication, the parent has pled guilty to or has been convicted of a felony involving the possession, distribution, or manufacture of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine, and the parent is the biological parent of at least one other child who was adjudicated an abused or neglected minor by such parent or such parent has previously failed to complete recommended treatment services by the children's division through a family-centered services case; or e. For at least fifteen of the twenty-two months prior to the filing of the petition, the child has been in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. 6. The juvenile court may terminate the rights of a parent to a child upon a petition filed by the juvenile officer or the division, or in adoption cases, by a prospective parent, if the court finds that the termination is in the best interest of the child and when it appears by clear, cogent and convincing evidence that grounds exist for termination pursuant to subsection 2, 4 or 5 of this section. 7. When considering whether to terminate the parent-child relationship pursuant to subsection 2 or 4 of this section or subdivision (1), (2), or (3) of subsection 5 of this section, the court shall evaluate and make findings on the following factors, when appropriate and applicable to the case: (1) The emotional ties to the birth parent; (2) The extent to which the parent has maintained regular visitation or other contact with the child; (3) The extent of payment by the parent for the cost of care and maintenance of the child when financially able to do so including the time that the child is in the custody of the division or other child-placing agency; (4) Whether additional services would be likely to bring about lasting parental adjustment enabling a return of the child to the parent within an ascertainable period of time; (5) The parent's disinterest in or lack of commitment to the child; (6) The conviction of the parent of a felony offense that the court finds is of such a nature that the child will be deprived of a stable home for a period of years; provided, however, that incarceration in and of itself shall not be grounds for termination of parental rights; (7) Deliberate acts of the parent or acts of another of which the parent knew or should have known that subjects the child to a substantial risk of physical or mental harm. 8. The court may attach little or no weight to infrequent visitations, communications, or contributions. It is irrelevant in a termination proceeding that the maintenance of the parent-child relationship may serve as an inducement for the parent's rehabilitation. 9. In actions for adoption pursuant to chapter 453 , the court may hear and determine the issues raised in a petition for adoption containing a prayer for termination of parental rights filed with the same effect as a petition permitted pursuant to subsection 2, 4, or 5 of this section. 10. The disability or disease of a parent shall not constitute a basis for a determination that a child is a child in need of care, for the removal of custody of a child from the parent, or for the termination of parental rights without a specific showing that there is a causal relation between the disability or disease and harm to the child. 11. A court of competent jurisdiction may terminate the parental rights of a biological father of a child if he is an alleged perpetrator of forcible rape under section 566.030 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013, or rape in the first degree under section 566.030 that resulted in the conception and birth of the child. The biological mother who is the victim of the forcible rape or rape in the first degree or, if she is a minor, someone on her behalf may file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the biological father. The court may terminate the parental rights of the biological father if the court finds that by: (1) Clear, cogent, and convincing evidence the biological father committed the act of forcible rape or rape in the first degree against the biological mother; (2) Clear, cogent, and convincing evidence the child was conceived as a result of that act of forcible rape or rape in the first degree; and (3) The preponderance of the evidence the termination of the parental rights of the biological father is in the best interests of the child. 12. In any action to terminate the parental rights of the biological father under subsection 11 of this section or subdivision (5) of subsection 5 of this section, a court of competent jurisdiction may order that the mother and the child conceived and born as a result of forcible rape or rape in the first degree are entitled to obtain from the biological father certain payments, support, beneficiary designations, or other financial benefits. The court shall issue such order only if the mother gives her consent; provided, that the court shall first inform the mother that such order may require or obligate the mother to have continuous or future communication and contact with the biological father. Such order shall be issued without the biological father being entitled to or granted any custody, guardianship, visitation privileges, or other parent-child relationship, and may include any or all of the following: (1) Payment for the reasonable expenses of the mother or the child, or both, related to pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum care, newborn care, or early childhood care; (2) Child support under this chapter or chapter 210 , 452 , or 454 ; (3) All rights of the child to inherit under the probate code, as defined in section 472.010 ; provided that, for purposes of intestate succession, the biological father or his kindred shall have no right to inherit from or through the child; (4) The designation of the child as the beneficiary of a life or accidental death insurance policy, annuity, contract, plan, or other product sold or issued by a life insurance company; or (5) Any other payments, support, beneficiary designations, or financial benefits that are in the best interests of the child or for the reasonable expenses of the mother, or both. If the mother declines to seek a court order for child support under this subsection, no state agency shall require the mother to do so in order to receive public assistance benefits for herself or the child, including, but not limited to, benefits for temporary assistance for needy families, supplemental nutrition assistance program, or MO HealthNet. The court order terminating the parental rights of the biological father under subdivision (5) of subsection 5 of this section or subsection 11 of this section shall serve as a sufficient basis for a good cause or other exemptions under 42 U.S.C. Section 654(29) and the state agency shall not require the mother or the child to otherwise provide the identity, location, income, or assets of the biological father or have contact or communicate with the biological father. However, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a state agency from requesting that the mother assign any child support rights she receives under this subsection to the state as a condition of receipt of public assistance benefits under applicable federal and state law. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 2, A.L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1990 H.B. 1370, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1822 merged with S.B. 674, A.L. 2007 S.B. 84, A.L. 2011 H.B. 555 merged with H.B. 604 merged with H.B. 648, A.L. 2013 H.B. 215 merged with S.B. 256, A.L. 2014 S.B. 530, A.L. 2017 S.B. 160, A.L. 2018 S.B. 800 merged with S.B. 819 merged with S.B. 975 & 1024 Revision, A.L. 2021 H.B. 429) CROSS REFERENCE: Application of law to adoption petitions filed on or after August 28, 1997, 453.012

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.452 Petition for termination, when filed - contents - joinder of cases of more ...

211.452. Petition for termination, when filed — contents — joinder of cases of more than one child. — 1. The petition for termination of parental rights shall be filed in the juvenile court which has prior jurisdiction over the child or, if no such prior jurisdiction exists, then the petition shall be filed where the child is, and shall include: (1) The name, sex, date and place of birth, and residence of the child, if known after due and diligent search; (2) If known after due and diligent search, the name, address and the date of birth of the parent; (3) The name and address of the person holding legal or actual custody of the child, the guardian of the person of the child and the organization or agency holding legal or actual custody or providing care for the child; (4) The facts on which termination is sought and the ground or grounds authorizing termination pursuant to section 211.447 . 2. If there is more than one child in the family and a termination of parental rights petition is being or has been prepared for each child, the court may join the cases for disposition in one proceeding; provided, however, that joinder of the cases is found to be in the best interests of each child. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 3, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.453 Service of summons, how made - when required - waiver of summons.

211.453. Service of summons, how made — when required — waiver of summons. — 1. Service of summons shall be made as in other civil cases in the manner prescribed in section 506.150 . However, if service cannot be made as prescribed in section 506.150 and it is not waived, then the service shall be made by mail or publication as provided in section 506.160 . 2. Persons who shall be summoned and receive a copy of the petition shall include: (1) The parent of the child, including a putative father who has acknowledged the child as his own by affirmatively asserting his paternity, unless the parent has filed a consent to the termination of parental rights in court; (2) The guardian of the person of the child; (3) The person, agency or organization having custody of the child; (4) The foster parent, relative or other person with whom the child has been placed; and (5) Any other person whose presence the court deems necessary. 3. The court shall not require service in the case of a parent whose identity is unknown and cannot be ascertained, or cannot be located. 4. Any person required to receive summons may waive appearance or service of summons. (L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1999 S.B. 1, et al.) (1988) Section 211.453 is unconstitutional as a denial of due process insofar as it removes the necessity of notice by publication to a parent whose identity is unknown and cannot be ascertained or cannot be located. In Interest of Loveheart, 762 S.W.2d 32 (Mo. En Banc).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.455 Procedure after filing of petition - determination of service - extension ...

211.455. Procedure after filing of petition — determination of service — extension of time for service, when — investigation. — 1. Within thirty days after the filing of the petition, the juvenile officer shall meet with the court in order to determine that all parties have been served with summons and to request that the court order the investigation and social study. 2. If, at that time, all parties required to be served with summons have not been served, the court, in its discretion, may extend the time for service if the court finds that service may be forthcoming and that the best interests of the child would be served thereby. 3. The court shall order an investigation and social study except in cases filed under section 211.444 . The investigation and social study shall be made by the juvenile officer, the state children's division or a public or private agency authorized or licensed to care for children or any other competent person, as directed by the court, and a written report shall be made to the court to aid the court in determining whether the termination is in the best interests of the child. It shall include such matters as the parental background, the fitness and capacity of the parent to discharge parental responsibilities, the child's home, present adjustment, physical, emotional and mental condition, and such other facts as are pertinent to the determination. Parties and attorneys or guardians ad litem or volunteer advocates representing them before the court shall have access to the written report. All ordered evaluations and reports shall be made available to the parties and attorneys or guardians ad litem or volunteer advocates representing them before the court at least fifteen days prior to any dispositional hearing. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.459 Dispositional hearing, when held - procedure - immunity for certain persons ...

211.459. Dispositional hearing, when held — procedure — immunity for certain persons — privileged communication not to constitute grounds for excluding evidence. — 1. Within thirty days after the juvenile officer and the court have met pursuant to section 211.455 , the court shall hold the dispositional hearing where the juvenile officer and any person on whom summons and the petition were served shall have the right and power to subpoena witnesses and present evidence. The court may require any and all investigating division personnel connected with the particular case to testify without privilege and subject to the rules of cross-examination. Such witnesses shall receive as compensation the witness fee and mileage provided in civil cases. 2. Stenographic notes or an authorized recording of the hearing shall be required as in civil actions in the circuit court. 3. Any person, official or institution participating in good faith in the making of a report, the taking of photographs or the making of radiological examinations pursuant to sections 210.110 to 210.165 , or the removal or retention of a child pursuant to sections 210.110 to 210.165 shall have immunity from all civil liability which might arise by reason of such actions. All such persons, officials and institutions shall have the same immunity with respect to participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from a report made pursuant to sections 210.110 to 210.165 . 4. No legally recognized privileged communication, except that between priest, minister, or rabbi and parishioner, and attorney client, shall constitute grounds for excluding evidence at any proceeding for the termination of parental rights. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.462 Appointment of guardian ad litem or child's counsel, when - rights of ...

211.462. Appointment of guardian ad litem or child's counsel, when — rights of parent, guardian, or counsel — county to pay court costs, exceptions. — 1. In all actions to terminate parental rights, if not previously appointed pursuant to section 210.160 , a guardian ad litem or child's counsel shall be appointed for the child as soon as practicable after the filing of the petition. 2. The parent or guardian of the person of the child shall be notified of the right to have counsel, and if they request counsel and are financially unable to employ counsel, counsel shall be appointed by the court. Notice of this provision shall be contained in the summons. When the parent is a minor or incompetent the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to represent such parent. 3. The guardian ad litem or child's counsel shall, during all stages of the proceedings: (1) Be the legal representative of the child, and may examine, cross-examine, subpoena witnesses and offer testimony. The guardian ad litem or child's counsel may also initiate an appeal of any disposition that he determines to be adverse to the best interests of the child; (2) Be an advocate for the child during the dispositional hearing and aid in securing a permanent placement plan for the child. To ascertain the child's wishes, feelings, attachments, and attitudes, he shall conduct all necessary interviews with persons, other than the parent, having contact with or knowledge of the child and, if appropriate, with the child; (3) Protect the rights, interest and welfare of a minor or incompetent parent by exercising the powers and duties enumerated in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection. 4. Court costs shall be paid by the county in which the proceeding is instituted, except that the court may require the agency or person having or receiving legal or actual custody to pay the costs. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 5, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 2025 H.B. 737 & 486 merged with S.B. 43)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.464 Foster parent and others may present evidence, when - notice and ...

211.464. Foster parent and others may present evidence, when — notice and opportunity to testify. — 1. Where a child has been placed with a foster parent, with relatives or with other persons who are able and willing to permanently integrate the child into the family by adoption, the court shall provide the opportunity for such foster parent, relative or other person to present evidence for the consideration of the court. 2. Current foster parents or other legal custodians who are not seeking to adopt the child shall be given an opportunity to testify at all hearings regarding the child. Upon the filing of a petition concerning a minor child who is in the care of foster parents or other legal custodians, the court shall give notice to such foster parents or legal custodians of the filing, any future hearings held on such petition and their opportunity to testify at any subsequent hearings held in relation to such petition, unless such notice and opportunity is waived by such foster or custodial parent. (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1998 S.B. 674)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.477 Order of termination, when issued - transfer of legal custody, to whom - ...

211.477. Order of termination, when issued — transfer of legal custody, to whom — alternatives to termination — power of court — granting or denial of petition deemed final judgment. — 1. If, after the dispositional hearing, the court finds that one or more of the grounds set out in section 211.447 exists or that the parent has consented to the termination pursuant to section 211.444 and that it is in the best interests of the child, the court may terminate the rights of the parent in and to the child. After ordering termination and after consideration of the social study and report, the court shall transfer legal custody to: (1) The children's division; (2) A private child-placing agency; (3) A foster parent, relative or other person participating in the proceedings pursuant to section 211.464 ; or (4) Any other person or agency the court deems suitable to care for the child. 2. If only one parent consents or if the conditions specified in section 211.447 are found to exist as to only one parent, the rights of only that parent with reference to the child may be terminated and the rights of the other parent shall not be affected. 3. The court may order termination whether or not the child is in adoptive placement or an adoptive placement is available for the child. 4. If, after the dispositional hearing, the court finds that one or more of the grounds set out in section 211.447 exists, but that termination is not in the best interests of the child because the court finds that the child would benefit from the continued parent-child relationship or because the child is fourteen or more years of age and objects to the termination, the court may: (1) Dismiss the petition and order that the child be returned to the custody of the parent; (2) Retain jurisdiction of the case and order that the child be placed in the legal custody of the parent, the division, a private child-caring or placing agency, a foster parent, relative or other suitable person who is able to provide long-term care for the child. Any order of the court under this subdivision shall designate the period of time it shall remain in effect, with mandatory review by the court no later than six months thereafter. The court shall also specify what residual rights and responsibilities remain with the parent. Any individual granted legal custody shall exercise the rights and responsibilities personally unless otherwise authorized by the court; or (3) Appoint a guardian under the provisions of chapter 475 . 5. Orders of the court issued pursuant to sections 211.442 to 211.487 shall recite the jurisdictional facts, factual findings on the existence of grounds for termination and that the best interests of the child are served by the disposition stated in the order. 6. The granting or denial of a petition for termination of parental rights shall be deemed a final judgment for purposes of appeal. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 8, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1999 S.B. 1, et al., A.L. 2003 S.B. 63, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.487 Application of sections 211.442 to 211.487 - what law to govern.

211.487. Application of sections 211.442 to 211.487 — what law to govern. — 1. Sections 211.442 to 211.487 apply to all proceedings commenced on or after September 28, 1985. 2. In any action for termination of parental rights pending prior to September 28, 1985, the law in effect at the time of the filing of the petition for termination of parental rights shall govern the hearing on such petition and any appeal therefrom. (L. 1978 H.B. 972 § 10, A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.490 Child placed in residential group facility, eligibility for medical ...

211.490. Child placed in residential group facility, eligibility for medical assistance benefits, continuance. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any child who is placed in a not-for-profit residential group facility for children by the juvenile court shall be eligible for medical assistance benefits pursuant to the provisions of section 208.152 . In addition, any child who is placed in a not-for-profit residential group facility for children by the parent, and who is currently receiving benefits pursuant to the provisions of section 208.152 , shall continue to receive benefits while in the group home. The eligibility and provisions of this section shall begin on the date of placement of the child in the residential group facility and shall terminate on the date the child is removed from such placement. (L. 1993 H.B. 564 § 27)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.500 Establishment of regional juvenile detention districts, when.

211.500. Establishment of regional juvenile detention districts, when. — 1. Any two or more counties within the state may form an agreement to establish a regional juvenile detention district. The district shall have a boundary which includes the areas within each member county, and it shall be named the "______ Regional Juvenile Detention District". 2. The county commission of each county desiring to join the district shall approve an ordinance or resolution to join the district and shall approve the agreement which specifies the duties of each county within the district. 3. If any county wishes to join a district which has already been established pursuant to this section, the agreement shall be rewritten and reapproved by each member county. 4. The agreement which specifies the duties of each county shall contain the following: (1) The name of the district; (2) The names of the counties within the district; (3) The formula for calculating each county's contribution to the costs of the district; (4) The types of juveniles which the regional juvenile detention center may house, limited to juveniles which may be transferred to counties pursuant to state law; (5) The methods which may be used for constructing or leasing a regional juvenile detention center; (6) The duties of the director of the regional juvenile detention center; and (7) The timing and procedures for approval of the regional juvenile detention center district's annual budget by the regional juvenile detention center commission. 5. Any county, city, town or village may contract with a regional juvenile detention center commission for the holding of its juvenile offenders. (L. 1998 H.B. 971 § 1) Effective 7-1-99

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.600 Certification of juveniles, collection of data, contents.

211.600. Certification of juveniles, collection of data, contents. — 1. The office of state courts administrator shall collect information related to the filing and disposition of petitions to certify juveniles pursuant to section 211.071 . 2. The data collected pursuant to this section shall include the following: (1) The number of certification petitions filed annually; (2) The disposition of certification petitions filed annually; (3) The offenses for which certification petitions are filed annually; (4) The race of the juveniles for whom the certification petitions are filed annually; and (5) The number of juveniles who have waived their right to counsel. 3. The data collected pursuant to this section shall be made publicly available annually. (L. 2024 S.B. 754, et al.)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=211Fetched: 10/17/2026