Protection order, restraining respondent from abuse if petitioner is permanently or temporarily in state
A Missouri court can issue a protection order against someone (the respondent) if the person asking for protection (the petitioner) is in Missouri, even just temporarily, and the abuse, threats, or stalking happened or was threatened in Missouri. If past abuse happened in another state, that can still be used as evidence to show why protection is needed in Missouri.
455.032. Protection , restraining from if is permanently or temporarily in state — evidence of prior abuse in or out of state. — In addition to any other grounds provided by law, a court shall have to enter an restraining or the respondent from committing or threatening to commit , , , molesting or disturbing the peace of petitioner, or abusing a pet, sections 455.010 to 455.085, if the petitioner is present, whether permanently or on a temporary basis within the state of Missouri and if the respondent's actions constituting domestic violence have occurred, have been attempted or have been or are threatened within the state of Missouri. For purposes of this section, if the petitioner has been the subject of domestic violence within or outside of the state of Missouri, such evidence shall be admissible to demonstrate the need for protection in Missouri.
Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.
Red section numbers link to that law.
Source & history notes
(L. 1995 H.B. 232 & 485, A.L. 2013 H.B. 215, A.L. 2015 S.B. 321 merged with S.B. 341, A.L. 2021 S.B. 53 & 60 merged with S.B. 71)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.