2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title XXX - Domestic Relations › Chapter 452 - Dissolution of Marriage, Divorce, Alimony and Separate Maintenance › Section 452.705 - Definitions.

Title XXX DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 452
• Effective - 28 Aug 2009
452.705. Definitions. —
As used in sections 452.700 to 452.930:
(1)
"Abandoned"
means left without provision for reasonable and necessary care or supervision;
(2)
"Child"
means an individual who has not attained eighteen years of age;
(3)
"Child custody determination"
means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child. The term includes a permanent, temporary, initial, or modification order. The term shall not include an order relating to child support or other monetary obligation of an individual;
(4)
"Child custody proceeding"
means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody, or visitation with respect to a child is an issue. The term includes a proceeding for divorce, separation, neglect, abuse, dependency, guardianship, paternity, termination of parental rights, and protection from domestic violence in which the issue may appear. The term shall not include a proceeding involving juvenile delinquency, contractual emancipation, or enforcement under sections 452.850 to 452.915;
(5)
"Commencement"
means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding;
(6)
"Court"
means an entity authorized under the law of a state to establish, enforce, or modify a child custody determination;
(7)
"Decree"
or
"custody decree"
means a custody determination contained in a judicial decree or order made in a custody proceeding, and includes an initial decree and a modification decree;
(8)
"Home state"
means the state in which a child has lived with a parent or a person acting as a parent for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the commencement of a child custody proceeding. In the case of a child less than six months of age, the term means the state in which the child has lived from birth with any of the persons mentioned. A period of temporary absence of any of the mentioned persons is part of such period;
(9)
"Initial determination"
means the first child custody determination concerning a particular child;
(10)
"Issuing court"
means the court making a child custody determination for which enforcement is sought under sections 452.700 to 452.930;
(11)
"Issuing state"
means the state in which a child custody determination is made;
(12)
"Litigant"
means a person, including a parent, grandparent, or stepparent, who claims a right to custody or visitation with respect to a child;
(13)
"Modification"
means a child custody determination that changes, replaces, supersedes or is otherwise made after a previous determination concerning the same child, whether or not it is made by the court that made the previous determination;
(14)
"Person"
includes government, a governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity;
(15)
"Person acting as a parent"
means a person, other than a parent, who:
(a) Has physical custody of the child or has had physical custody for a period of six consecutive months, including any temporary absence, within one year immediately prior to the commencement of a child custody proceeding; and
(b) Has been awarded legal custody by a court or claims a right to legal custody under the law of this state;
(16)
"Physical custody"
means the physical care and supervision of a child;
(17)
"State"
means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;
(18)
"Warrant"
means an order issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to take physical custody of a child.
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(L. 2009 H.B. 481)