Missouri Revised Statutes
Chapter 453 - Adoption and Foster Care
Section 453.015 - Definitions.

Effective - 28 Aug 2018, 2 histories
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) "Parent", a birth parent or parents of a child, including the putative father of the child, as well as the husband of a birth mother at the time the child was conceived, or a parent or parents of a child by adoption. The putative father shall have no legal relationship unless he has acknowledged the child as his own by affirmatively asserting his paternity;
(3) "Post adoption contact agreement", a voluntary written agreement executed by one or both of a child's birth parents and each adoptive parent describing future contact between the parties to the agreement and the child; provided, that such agreement shall be approved by the court under subsection 4 of section 453.080;
(4) "Putative father", the alleged or presumed father of a child including a person who has filed a notice of intent to claim paternity with the putative father registry established in section 192.016 and a person who has filed a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity pursuant to section 193.087;
(5) "Stepparent", the spouse of a biological or adoptive parent. The term does not include the state if the child is a ward of the state. The term does not include a person whose parental rights have been terminated.
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(L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1918, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision, A.L. 2018 S.B. 819)

Structure Missouri Revised Statutes

Missouri Revised Statutes

Title XXX - Domestic Relations

Chapter 453 - Adoption and Foster Care

Section 453.005 - Construction of sections 453.010 to 453.400 — ethnic and racial diversity considerations.

Section 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.

Section 453.011 - Expediting termination of parental rights and contested adoption cases.

Section 453.012 - Requirements for adoption effective for petitions filed on or after August 28, 1997.

Section 453.014 - Who may place minor for adoption — rules and regulations, authority.

Section 453.015 - Definitions.

Section 453.020 - Petition — guardian ad litem appointed — fee, deposit in putative father registry fund.

Section 453.025 - Appointment of guardian ad litem, when — fee — duties of guardian ad litem.

Section 453.026 - Written report to be furnished to prospective adoptive parent, court and guardian ad litem, when.

Section 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.

Section 453.040 - Consent of parents not required, when.

Section 453.050 - Waiving of necessity of consent, when permitted — how executed.

Section 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.

Section 453.061 - Conception of a child, man deemed to be on notice, when.

Section 453.065 - Definitions.

Section 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.

Section 453.072 - Qualified relatives to receive subsidies, when — definitions.

Section 453.073 - Subsidy to adopted child — determination of — how paid — written agreement.

Section 453.074 - Duties of children's division in administration of subsidy.

Section 453.075 - Petitioner in adoption proceeding to give accounting, when — contents — consequences of impropriety.

Section 453.077 - Postplacement assessments required, when — rulemaking authority.

Section 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.

Section 453.090 - Consequences of adoption — child defined.

Section 453.100 - Clerk to certify decree for vital statistics record — contents.

Section 453.101 - Guardian appointed when adoption not granted — powers and duties to be specified.

Section 453.102 - Division to inform adoptive parents of postplacement services, when — nature of services — family services to assist in cases of adoptive placement.

Section 453.110 - Prohibiting transfer of custody of child — exception — penalty — investigation and report — transfer of custody order issued, when.

Section 453.120 - Records of adoption proceedings not open to inspection except on order of the court — penalty for violation.

Section 453.121 - Adoption records, disclosure procedure — registry of biological parents and adopted adults — disclosure of papers, records and information.

Section 453.140 - Validity of decree not subject to attack for irregularities after expiration of one year.

Section 453.150 - Effect of adoptions made previous to July 1, 1917.

Section 453.153 - One church-one child program to find adoptive placements for certain children.

Section 453.160 - Validity of decree under any prior act not subject to attack for irregularities after expiration of one year — revocation of consent.

Section 453.170 - Adoption under laws of other states or countries, requirements, effect.

Section 453.315 - Order of protection, purpose of.

Section 453.350 - Higher education visit for certain foster children and youth in division of youth services program required — cost reimbursement, when.

Section 453.400 - Stepparent required to support stepchild — recovery from natural or adoptive parent, when — stepparent's income considered in aid to dependent children.

Section 453.500 - Interstate adoption assistance compact adopted — text of compact — false claims, penalty.

Section 453.503 - State may withdraw from compact, how.

Section 453.600 - Fund created, use of moneys.