211.241. Court orders to parents for support of children, procedure--county to support, when. - Missouri Statutes

Court orders to parents for support of children, procedure--county tosupport, when.

211.241. 1. When the juvenile court finds a child to bewithin the purview of applicable provisions of section 211.031 itmay in the same or subsequent proceedings, either on its ownmotion or upon the application of any person, institution oragency having the custody of such child, proceed to inquire intothe ability of the parent of the child to support it or tocontribute to its support. If the parent does not voluntarilyappear for the proceeding, he shall be summoned in the samemanner as in civil cases and the summons in the case may issue toany county of the state.

2. If the court finds that the parent is able to support thechild or to contribute to its support, the court may enter anorder requiring the parent to support the child or to contributeto its support and to pay the costs of collecting the judgment.

3. The court may enforce the order by execution and theexecution may issue on request of the juvenile officer or anyperson, agency or institution which has been awarded custody ofthe child. No deposit or bond for costs shall be required as acondition for the issuance or service of the execution. Noproperty is exempt from execution upon a judgment or decree madeunder this section, and all wages or other sums due the parent issubject to garnishment or execution in any proceedings under thissection.

4. Otherwise the necessary support of the child shall,unless the court commits the child to a person or institutionwilling to receive it without charge, be paid out of the funds ofthe county but only upon approval of the judge of the juvenilecourt.

(L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.240)

(1979) Statutory authority to require and enforce contribution by parent for support of child under jurisdiction of juvenile court implies authority to adjudicate paternity. Miller v. Russell (A.), 593 S.W.2d 598.