453.015. Definitions. - Missouri Statutes

Definitions.

453.015. As used in sections 453.010 to 453.400, the following termsmean:

(1) "Minor" or "child", any person who has not attained the age ofeighteen years or any person in the custody of the division of familyservices who has not attained the age of twenty-one;

(2) "Parent", a birth parent or parents of a child, including theputative father of the child, as well as the husband of a birth mother atthe time the child was conceived, or a parent or parents of a child byadoption. The putative father shall have no legal relationship unless hehas acknowledged the child as his own by affirmatively asserting hispaternity;

(3) "Putative father", the alleged or presumed father of a childincluding a person who has filed a notice of intent to claim paternity withthe putative father registry established in section 192.016, RSMo, and aperson who has filed a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity pursuant tosection 193.087, RSMo; and

(4) "Stepparent", the spouse of a biological or adoptive parent. Theterm does not include the state if the child is a ward of the state. Theterm does not include a person whose parental rights have been terminated.

(L. 1982 H.B. 1171, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1918)