455.504. Court clerks to furnish petitioners with uniform forms and information to litigants having no counsel on procedure, filing forms and pleadings--services of clerks and location of office to fi

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

455.504. Court clerks to furnish petitioners with uniform forms and information to litigants having no counsel on procedure, filing forms and pleadings--services of clerks and location of office to fi

Court clerks to furnish petitioners with uniform forms and informationto litigants having no counsel on procedure, filing forms andpleadings--services of clerks and location of office to file petitionto be posted--rules--no fees required--guardian ad litem or CASA tobe provided copy of petition.

455.504. 1. The clerk of the court shall make available to thepetitioner the uniform forms adopted by the supreme court pursuant tosection 455.073. Except as provided in section 455.510, clerks under thesupervision of a circuit clerk shall explain to litigants not representedby counsel the procedures for filing all forms and pleadings necessary forthe presentation of their petition filed pursuant to the provisions ofsections 455.500 to 455.538 to the court. Notice of the fact that clerkswill provide such assistance shall be conspicuously posted in the clerks'offices. The location of the office where a petition can be filed shall beconspicuously posted in the court building. The performance of dutiesprescribed in this section shall not constitute the practice of law asdefined in section 484.010, RSMo. All duties of the clerk prescribed inthis section shall be performed without cost to the litigants. The supremecourt may promulgate rules as necessary to govern conduct of court clerksunder sections 455.500 to 455.538, and shall provide forms for petitionsand written instructions on filling out all forms and pleadings necessaryfor the presentation of the petition to the court.

2. No filing fees, court costs, or bond shall be assessed to thepetitioner in an action commenced under sections 455.500 to 455.538.

3. The clerk shall immediately notify the guardian ad litem orcourt-appointed special advocate of appointment and shall provide suchguardian or advocate with a copy of the petition for the order ofprotection for the child. The clerk shall provide such guardian oradvocate with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the partieswithin twenty-four hours of entry of the order appointing the guardian adlitem or court-appointed special advocate.