Title XXX, DOMESTIC RELATIONS

453.005. Construction of sections 453.010 to 453.400 — ethnic and racial diversity considerations. — 1. The provisions of sections 453.005 to 453.400 shall be construed so as to promote the best interests and welfare of the child in recognition of the entitlement of the child to …

453.010. Petition for permission to adopt, venue, jurisdiction — no denial or delay in placement of child based on residence or domicile — expedited placement, when. — 1. Any person desiring to adopt another person as his or her child shall petition the juvenile division of the c…

453.011. Expediting termination of parental rights and contested adoption cases. — 1. In all cases involving the termination of parental rights, placement, or adoption of a child, whether voluntary or contested by any person or agency, the court shall, consistent with due process…

453.012. Requirements for adoption effective for petitions filed on or after August 28, 1997. — The provisions of sections 192.016, 193.125, 210.109, 210.491, 211.444, and 211.447, sections* 453.005, 453.010, 453.014, 453.015, 453.025, 453.026, 453.030, 453.040, 453.060, 453.065,…

453.014. Who may place minor for adoption — rules and regulations, authority. — 1. The following persons may place a minor for adoption: (1) The children's division of the department of social services; (2) A child placing agency licensed pursuant to sections 210.481 to 210.536; …

453.015. Definitions. — As used in sections 453.010 to 453.400, the following terms mean: (1) "Minor" or "child", any person who has not attained the age of eighteen years or any person in the custody of the children's division who has not attained the age of twenty-one; (2) "Par…

453.020. Petition — guardian ad litem appointed — fee, deposit in putative father registry fund. — 1. The petition for adoption shall state: (1) The name, sex and place of birth of the person sought to be adopted; (2) The name of his parents, if known to the petitioner; (3) If th…

453.025. Appointment of guardian ad litem, when — fee — duties of guardian ad litem. — 1. The court shall, in all cases where the person sought to be adopted is under eighteen years of age, appoint a guardian ad litem, if not previously appointed pursuant to section 210.160, to r…

453.026. Written report to be furnished to prospective adoptive parent, court and guardian ad litem, when. — 1. As early as is practical before a prospective adoptive parent accepts physical custody of a child, the person placing the child for adoption, as authorized by section 4…

453.030. Approval of court required — how obtained, consent of child and parent required, when — validity of consent — forms, developed by children's division, contents — court appointment of attorney, when. — 1. In all cases the approval of the court of the adoption shall be req…

453.040. Consent of parents not required, when. — The consent to the adoption of a child is not required of: (1) A parent whose rights with reference to the child have been terminated pursuant to law, including section 211.444 or section 211.447 or other similar laws in other sta…

453.050. Waiving of necessity of consent, when permitted — how executed. — 1. The juvenile court may, upon application, permit a parent to waive the necessity of such person's consent to a future adoption of the child. However, that approval cannot be granted until the child is a…

453.060. Service on parties, how accomplished — petitioners' names not to appear on copy of petition served with summons, when — right of appeal — waiver of service — putative father unknown, procedure. — 1. A writ of summons and a copy of the petition shall be served on: (1) Any…

453.061. Conception of a child, man deemed to be on notice, when. — Any man who has engaged in sexual intercourse with a woman is deemed to be on notice that a child may be conceived and as a result is entitled to notice of an adoption proceeding only as provided in this chapter.…

453.065. Definitions. — As used in sections 453.065 to 453.074, the following words and terms shall have the meanings indicated: (1) "Child", a person within the state who is under the age of eighteen or in the custody of the children's division who is in need of medical, dental,…

453.070. Investigations precondition for adoption — contents of investigation report — how conducted — assessments of adoptive parents, contents — waiving of investigation, when — fees — preference to foster parents, when. — 1. Except as provided in subsection 5 of this section, …

453.072. Qualified relatives to receive subsidies, when — definitions. — 1. Any subsidies available to adoptive parents pursuant to section 453.073 and section 453.074 shall also be available to a qualified relative of a child or a qualified close nonrelated person who is granted…

453.073. Subsidy to adopted child — determination of — how paid — written agreement. — 1. The children's division is authorized to grant a subsidy to a child in one of the forms of allotment defined in section 453.065. Determination of the amount of monetary need is to be made by…

453.074. Duties of children's division in administration of subsidy. — 1. The children's division shall have the following duties in the administration of the subsidy program: (1) Notify all petitioners for adoption of the availability of subsidies for a child; (2) Provide all pe…

453.075. Petitioner in adoption proceeding to give accounting, when — contents — consequences of impropriety. — 1. The court shall require the petitioner in any proceeding for adoption to file at the time of filing the petition for permission to adopt, a signed and verified full …

453.077. Postplacement assessments required, when — rulemaking authority. — 1. When a child has been placed with the petitioner for the required six-month placement period, the person conducting the preplacement assessment of the adoption or other persons authorized to conduct as…

453.080. Hearing — decree — contact or exchange of identifying information between adopted person and birth or adoptive parent not to be denied, when — post adoption contact agreement — contact preference form. — 1. The court shall conduct a hearing to determine whether the adopt…

453.090. Consequences of adoption — child defined. — 1. When a child is adopted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, all legal relationships and all rights and duties between such child and his natural parents (other than a natural parent who joins in the petition f…

453.100. Clerk to certify decree for vital statistics record — contents. — After the entry of the decree of adoption, the clerk of the court shall immediately send to the department of health and senior services a certificate of the decree of adoption, which shall set forth the o…

453.101. Guardian appointed when adoption not granted — powers and duties to be specified. — In the event that the juvenile court does not grant the adoption, the court may order that a guardian be appointed under the provisions of chapter 475 to provide long-term care for the ch…

453.102. Division to inform adoptive parents of postplacement services, when — nature of services — family services to assist in cases of adoptive placement. — 1. After an adoptive placement has been made, the children's division or other child-placing agency shall inform the ado…

453.110. Prohibiting transfer of custody of child — exception — penalty — investigation and report — transfer of custody order issued, when. — 1. No person, agency, organization or institution shall surrender custody of a minor child, or transfer the custody of such a child to an…

453.120. Records of adoption proceedings not open to inspection except on order of the court — penalty for violation. — 1. The files and records of the court in adoption proceedings shall not be open to inspection or copy by any person or persons, except upon an order of the cour…

453.121. Adoption records, disclosure procedure — registry of biological parents and adopted adults — disclosure of papers, records and information. — 1. As used in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms mean: (1) "Adopted adult", any ad…

453.140. Validity of decree not subject to attack for irregularities after expiration of one year. — After the expiration of one year from the date of entry of the decree of adoption, the validity thereof shall not be subject to attack in any proceedings, collateral or direct, by…

453.150. Effect of adoptions made previous to July 1, 1917. — Any person adopted by deed of adoption or agreement of adoption in writing prior to 1917 and wherein said instrument was filed for record prior to July 1, 1917, shall hereafter be deemed and held to be for every purpos…

453.153. One church-one child program to find adoptive placements for certain children. — The director of the department of social services shall develop and implement a program to work through local churches to find adoptive placements for minority and hard to place children. Th…

453.160. Validity of decree under any prior act not subject to attack for irregularities after expiration of one year — revocation of consent. — 1. After the expiration of one year from the date this chapter shall become effective, the validity of any decree of adoption pursuant …

453.170. Adoption under laws of other states or countries, requirements, effect. — 1. When an adoption occurs pursuant to the laws of other states of the United States, Missouri shall, from the date of adoption hold the adopted person to be for every purpose the lawful child of i…

453.315. Order of protection, purpose of. — The court may make an order of protection as a condition of any order made under this section. The order of protection may set forth reasonable conditions of behavior by a person or agency who is before the court, and the order may requ…

453.350. Higher education visit for certain foster children and youth in division of youth services program required — cost reimbursement, when. — 1. Beginning July 1, 2014, all Missouri foster children fifteen years of age or older shall receive a visit to a Missouri state unive…

453.400. Stepparent required to support stepchild — recovery from natural or adoptive parent, when — stepparent's income considered in aid to dependent children. — 1. A stepparent shall support his or her stepchild to the same extent that a natural or adoptive parent is required …

453.500. Interstate adoption assistance compact adopted — text of compact — false claims, penalty. — The "Interstate Adoption Assistance Compact" is hereby enacted into law authorizing the department of social services to enter into interstate agreements with agencies of other st…

453.503. State may withdraw from compact, how. — The state of Missouri shall reserve the right to withdraw from the interstate assistance compact by a law requiring such withdrawal. ­­-------- (L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al. § 3)

453.600. Fund created, use of moneys. — 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Foster Care and Adoptive Parents Recruitment and Retention Fund" which shall consist of all gifts, donations, transfers, and moneys appropriated by the general assembly, and bequests to …

453.650. Adoption fund created, use of moneys — rules. — 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Zero-Cost Adoption Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any gifts, bequests, and donations. The state treasurer shall be custodi…