452.390. Investigation and report on custodial arrangements for a child--how conducted--report due, when--material to be available to counsel and parties.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

452.390. Investigation and report on custodial arrangements for a child--how conducted--report due, when--material to be available to counsel and parties.

Investigation and report on custodial arrangements for a child--howconducted--report due, when--material to be available to counsel andparties.

452.390. 1. The court may order an investigation and reportconcerning custodial arrangements for the child. Theinvestigation and report may be made by the county welfareoffice, the county juvenile officer, or any other competentperson.

2. In preparing his report concerning a child, theinvestigator may consult any person who may have informationabout the child and his potential custodial arrangements. Uponorder of the court, the investigator may refer the child toprofessional personnel for diagnosis. The investigator mayconsult with and obtain information from medical, psychiatric, orother expert persons who have served the child in the pastwithout obtaining the consent of the parent or the child'scustodian, but the child's consent must be obtained if he hasreached the age of sixteen, unless the court finds that he lacksmental capacity to consent.

3. At least ten days prior to the hearing the investigatorshall furnish his report to counsel and to any party notrepresented by counsel. No one else, including the court, shallbe entitled thereto prior to the hearing. The investigator shallmake available to counsel and to any party not represented bycounsel an investigator's file of underlying data and reports,complete texts of diagnostic reports made to the investigatorpursuant to the provisions of subsection 2, and the names andaddresses of all persons whom the investigator has consulted.Any party to the proceeding may call as witnesses theinvestigator and any person whom the investigator has consulted.