2009 Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XXX DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 455 Abuse--Adults and Children--Shelters and Protective Orders
455.050. Full or ex parte order of protection, abuse or stalking, contents--relief available.

455.050. 1. Any full or ex parte order of protection granted pursuant to sections 455.010 to 455.085 shall be to protect the petitioner from abuse or stalking and may include:

(1) Temporarily enjoining the respondent from abusing, threatening to abuse, molesting, stalking or disturbing the peace of the petitioner;

(2) Temporarily enjoining the respondent from entering the premises of the dwelling unit of the petitioner when the dwelling unit is:

(a) Jointly owned, leased or rented or jointly occupied by both parties; or

(b) Owned, leased, rented or occupied by petitioner individually; or

(c) Jointly owned, leased, rented or occupied by petitioner and a person other than respondent; provided, however, no spouse shall be denied relief pursuant to this section by reason of the absence of a property interest in the dwelling unit; or

(d) Jointly occupied by the petitioner and a person other than respondent; provided that the respondent has no property interest in the dwelling unit; or

(3) Temporarily enjoining the respondent from communicating with the petitioner in any manner or through any medium.

2. Mutual orders of protection are prohibited unless both parties have properly filed written petitions and proper service has been made in accordance with sections 455.010 to 455.085.

3. When the court has, after a hearing for any full order of protection, issued an order of protection, it may, in addition:

(1) Award custody of any minor child born to or adopted by the parties when the court has jurisdiction over such child and no prior order regarding custody is pending or has been made, and the best interests of the child require such order be issued;

(2) Establish a visitation schedule that is in the best interests of the child;

(3) Award child support in accordance with supreme court rule 88.01 and chapter 452, RSMo;

(4) Award maintenance to petitioner when petitioner and respondent are lawfully married in accordance with chapter 452, RSMo;

(5) Order respondent to make or to continue to make rent or mortgage payments on a residence occupied by the petitioner if the respondent is found to have a duty to support the petitioner or other dependent household members;

(6) Order the respondent to pay the petitioner's rent at a residence other than the one previously shared by the parties if the respondent is found to have a duty to support the petitioner and the petitioner requests alternative housing;

(7) Order that the petitioner be given temporary possession of specified personal property, such as automobiles, checkbooks, keys, and other personal effects;

(8) Prohibit the respondent from transferring, encumbering, or otherwise disposing of specified property mutually owned or leased by the parties;

(9) Order the respondent to participate in a court-approved counseling program designed to help batterers stop violent behavior or to participate in a substance abuse treatment program;

(10) Order the respondent to pay a reasonable fee for housing and other services that have been provided or that are being provided to the petitioner by a shelter for victims of domestic violence;

(11) Order the respondent to pay court costs;

(12) Order the respondent to pay the cost of medical treatment and services that have been provided or that are being provided to the petitioner as a result of injuries sustained to the petitioner by an act of domestic violence committed by the respondent.

4. A verified petition seeking orders for maintenance, support, custody, visitation, payment of rent, payment of monetary compensation, possession of personal property, prohibiting the transfer, encumbrance, or disposal of property, or payment for services of a shelter for victims of domestic violence, shall contain allegations relating to those orders and shall pray for the orders desired.

5. In making an award of custody, the court shall consider all relevant factors including the presumption that the best interests of the child will be served by placing the child in the custody and care of the nonabusive parent, unless there is evidence that both parents have engaged in abusive behavior, in which case the court shall not consider this presumption but may appoint a guardian ad litem or a court-appointed special advocate to represent the children in accordance with chapter 452, RSMo, and shall consider all other factors in accordance with chapter 452, RSMo.

6. The court shall grant to the noncustodial parent rights to visitation with any minor child born to or adopted by the parties, unless the court finds, after hearing, that visitation would endanger the child's physical health, impair the child's emotional development or would otherwise conflict with the best interests of the child, or that no visitation can be arranged which would sufficiently protect the custodial parent from further abuse. The court may appoint a guardian ad litem or court-appointed special advocate to represent the minor child in accordance with chapter 452, RSMo, whenever the custodial parent alleges that visitation with the noncustodial parent will damage the minor child.

7. The court shall make an order requiring the noncustodial party to pay an amount reasonable and necessary for the support of any child to whom the party owes a duty of support when no prior order of support is outstanding and after all relevant factors have been considered, in accordance with Missouri supreme court rule 88.01 and chapter 452, RSMo.

8. The court may grant a maintenance order to a party for a period of time, not to exceed one hundred eighty days. Any maintenance ordered by the court shall be in accordance with chapter 452, RSMo.

(L. 1980 S.B. 524 § 9, A.L. 1986 S.B. 450, A.L. 1989 S.B. 420, A.L. 1993 H.B. 476 & 194, A.L. 1995 S.B. 174, A.L. 1999 S.B. 1, et al., A.L. 2000 H.B. 1677, et al.)