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 sue 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 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 al 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. -------- (L. 2009 H.B. 481)
Missouri Legal Code