Bill > HB2558

This bill modifies Missouri's juvenile justice law by establishing more detailed requirements and protections for the detention of juveniles. The bill specifies that when a juvenile is taken into custody, they must be brought before the juvenile court or juvenile officer, and if a judge discovers the individual is under 18, the case must be transferred to juvenile court. The legislation introduces specific provisions for detention hearings, mandating that a juvenile cannot remain in detention for more than 24 hours without a hearing, and if a hearing is not held within three days (excluding weekends and holidays), the juvenile must be released. The bill requires that detention hearings be conducted on the record, with the court first informing the juvenile of their right to counsel. To detain a juvenile, the court must find both probable cause that an offense was committed and that detention is necessary under specific circumstances, such as protecting the juvenile, protecting others, preventing flight, addressing lack of proper care or supervision, or managing a fugitive status from another jurisdiction. These new provisions aim to ensure more structured and protective procedures for handling juveniles in the justice system.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2558&year=2026&code=R