A Missouri court cannot change a child custody decision made by another state's court unless Missouri qualifies to make a new custody decision in the first place. On top of that, one of two things must also be true: either the other state's court says it no longer has the power to handle the case or that Missouri is a better place for it, or a court finds that the child and all parents have moved away from that other state.
452.750. to . — Except as otherwise provided in section 452.755, a court of this state shall not modify a made by a court of another state unless a court of this state has jurisdiction to make an under (1) or (2) of 1 of section 452.740 and:
(1) The court of the other state it no longer has under section 452.745 or that a court of this state would be a more under section 452.770; or
(2) A court of this state or a court of the other state determines that neither the child, nor a parent, nor any person acting as a parent presently resides in the other state.
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Source & history notes
(L. 2009 H.B. 481)
Related Missouri laws
Verified petition
RSMo 452.747
Exclusive, continuing jurisdiction
RSMo 452.745
Temporary emergency jurisdiction
RSMo 452.755
Initial child custody jurisdiction
RSMo 452.740
Notice
RSMo 452.760
Notice for exercise of jurisdiction
RSMo 452.762
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.