Choice of law
When someone has a support order (like child support) from another state or country that gets registered in Missouri, the rules of that other place decide things like how much is owed, how long payments last, and how interest on late payments is calculated. Missouri courts use Missouri's own procedures to actually collect the money. If there is a question about how far back someone can go to collect old missed payments, the court picks whichever time limit is longer — Missouri's or the other place's. If a court decides which support order is the main one in charge, Missouri courts follow the rules of wherever that main order came from going forward.
454.1641. Choice of law. — (a) Except as otherwise provided in (d), the law of the or foreign country governs:
(1) the nature, extent, amount, and duration of current payments under a ;
(2) the computation and payment of and on the arrearages under the ; and
(3) the existence and of other obligations under the support order.
(b) In a for under a registered support order, the of this state or of the issuing state or foreign country, whichever is longer, applies.
(c) A of this state shall apply the procedures and of this state to current support and collect arrears and interest due on a support order of another state or a foreign country in this state.
(d) After a of this state or another state which is the and issues an consolidating arrears, if any, a tribunal of this state shall apply the law of the state or foreign country issuing the controlling order, including its law on interest on arrears, on current and future support, and on .
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Source & history notes
(L. 2011 H.B. 260) Effective 6-15-16, see § 454.1728
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.