Bill > SB93

This bill modifies Missouri's laws regarding divorce (dissolution of marriage) and legal separation by making several key changes. First, it clarifies that pregnancy status cannot prevent a court from granting a divorce or legal separation. The bill maintains existing residency requirements for filing (90 days of state residency or military station, with 30 days between filing and judgment) and requires courts to consider child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and property disposition. For legal separation, the court must find that the marriage has a reasonable likelihood of being preserved, whereas for divorce, the court must find no reasonable likelihood of preserving the marriage. The bill also standardizes petition requirements, mandating that petitions include specific details like residence information, marriage date, separation date, child information, and Social Security number details. Additionally, the bill requires both parties to submit detailed parenting plans within 30 days of filing, outlining custody arrangements, decision-making responsibilities, and financial obligations for children. The legislation abolishes previous legal defenses to divorce and legal separation, such as condonation, connivance, and recrimination, and ensures that children are immediately subject to court jurisdiction upon petition filing. Importantly, the bill emphasizes that a parent's current possession of a child does not create a custody preference in judicial determinations.

Health and Social Services

https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=475