HB 1579 -- Child Support

Sponsor:  Holand

This bill adds the requirement that the court determine that a
party obligated to pay child support is current on all support
payments before the court grants a dissolution of marriage.  The
obligee may waive the obligor's duty to be current on all
payments, but the waiver does not relieve the obligor of any
child support arrearage.

The bill also requires that the parties to a petition for
dissolution or legal separation file income and expense
statements and a preliminary Form 14 except those cases in which
the Attorney General is a party.  In cases where child support is
established or modified, except those in which the Attorney
General is involved, the parties must submit income and expense
statements along with the Form 14 documents.  The court can issue
a temporary order of child support; and when the temporary order
is issued, the parties must verify their current addresses,
telephone numbers, and employment information.  The court is also
required to hold an initial case management conference on the
first available date 60 days after the date of service in the
case.  Subsequent case management conferences may also be held.
At the case management conference, the court may order parties to
participate in mediation or may require attendance at
court-approved educational sessions.

Current law allows courts to require parties to a dissolution or
legal separation involving child custody or visitation issues to
take part in an alternative dispute resolution program.  The bill
requires the court to order parties to participate in the program
unless there is good cause to not require participation.  The
parties must participate in at least two hours of mediation, and
either party may terminate the mediation after two hours.  Any
agreement reached during the mediation must be in writing and
submitted to the parties.  The agreement may not be binding until
the parties and their attorneys have signed the agreement and the
court has approved it.  The bill also requires the Missouri
Supreme Court to have a rule in effect within 120 days of the
effective date of the bill requiring each judicial circuit to
establish an alternative dispute resolution program for
proceedings involving dissolution of marriage.  Current law
requires the Supreme Court to have a rule in effect that allows
but does not mandate alternative dispute resolution in
proceedings involving issues of child custody.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:15 am