HOUSE BILL NO. 2986 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE BURTON.
4658H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To repeal section 452.300, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to petitions for dissolution of marriage, legal separation, or declaration of invalidity of marriage.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 452.300, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu 2 thereof, to be known as section 452.300, to read as follows: 452.300. 1. The rules of the supreme court and other applicable court rules shall 2 govern all proceedings pursuant to sections 452.300 to 452.415. 3 2. A proceeding for dissolution of marriage, legal separation, or declaration of 4 invalidity of marriage shall be entitled: "In re the Marriage of ______ and ______". 5 3. The initial pleading in an original proceeding pursuant to sections 452.300 to 6 452.415 shall be denominated a "petition" and the responsive pleading in an original 7 proceeding shall be denominated an "answer". Other pleadings in an original proceeding and 8 all pleadings in other proceedings pursuant to sections 452.300 to 452.415 shall be 9 denominated as provided in the rules of the supreme court and other applicable court rules. 10 4. Any party who files the initial pleading in an original proceeding pursuant to 11 sections 452.300 to 452.415 shall be denominated the "petitioner" and any party who is 12 required to file or who files a responsive pleading in an original proceeding shall be 13 denominated the "respondent". Each party shall retain such denomination from the original 14 proceeding in any other proceedings pursuant to sections 452.300 to 452.415. 15 5. An original proceeding pursuant to sections 452.300 to 452.415 shall be 16 commenced in the county in which the petitioner resides or in the county in which the
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 2986 2
17 respondent resides. If an original proceeding is commenced in the county in which the 18 petitioner resides, upon motion by the respondent filed prior to the filing of a responsive 19 pleading, the court in which the proceeding is commenced may transfer the proceeding to the 20 county in which the respondent resides if: 21 (1) The county in which the respondent resides had been the county in which the 22 children resided during the ninety days immediately preceding the commencement of the 23 proceeding; or 24 (2) The best interest of the children will be served if the proceeding is transferred to 25 the county in which the respondent resides because: 26 (a) The children and at least one parent have a significant connection with the county; 27 and 28 (b) There is substantial evidence concerning the present or future care, protection and 29 personal relationships of the children in the county. 30 6. In proceedings pursuant to sections 452.300 to 452.415, "judgment" shall include a 31 "decree". 32 7. Any minor who was legally married prior to August 28, 2025, may file a 33 petition for dissolution of marriage, legal separation, or declaration of invalidity of 34 marriage under sections 452.300 to 452.415 without the consent of his or her custodial 35 parent or guardian. ✔
Statutes affected: