Exclusive, continuing jurisdiction
When a Missouri court makes a decision about where a child will live or who will take care of them, that court stays in charge of that case until either: the child and family no longer have strong ties to Missouri and important information about the child is no longer found there, or the child and all parents have moved out of Missouri. Even when Missouri courts are still in charge, a judge can hand the case to another state if Missouri is not a convenient place to handle it.
452.745. . — 1. Except as otherwise provided in section 452.755, a court of this state that has made a consistent with section 452.740 or 452.750 has over the until:
(1) A court of this state that neither the child, the child and one parent, nor the child and a person acting as a parent have a with this state, and that is no longer available in this state concerning the child's care, protection, training and personal relationships; or
(2) A court of this state or a court of another state determines that neither the child, nor a parent, nor any person acting as a parent presently resides in this state.
2. A court of this state that has exclusive continuing jurisdiction under this section may decline to exercise its if the court determines that it is an under section 452.770.
3. A court of this state that has made a child custody determination and does not have exclusive continuing jurisdiction under this section may that determination only if it has jurisdiction to make an under section 452.740.
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Source & history notes
(L. 2009 H.B. 481)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.