478.422. Friend of court in child support matters, appointment, compensation (St. Louis County and St. Louis City).

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

478.422. Friend of court in child support matters, appointment, compensation (St. Louis County and St. Louis City).

Friend of court in child support matters, appointment, compensation(St. Louis County and St. Louis City).

478.422. 1. The circuit judges of the circuit courts of thecity of St. Louis and St. Louis County may appoint at least one"friend of the court" who shall be an attorney licensed topractice law in this state whose duty it shall be to prosecuteany necessary civil action to enforce the payment of alldelinquent payments duly ordered and decreed by the court for thesupport, maintenance, and education of a dependent minor child.The friend of the court shall be a resident of the circuit, andeach circuit judge may, in his discretion, appoint more than onefriend of the court if circumstances warrant such appointments.

2. The friend of the court shall, when appointed, upon hisown information or upon the filing of a written complaint by someadult resident of the county wherein the dependent minor child islocated, act as next friend to the child, without furtherappointment, for the purpose of collecting such delinquentpayments, and may begin or continue any action to collect thedelinquent payments. If the friend of the court finds that he isunable to collect the payments with a civil action, he shallnotify the court, in writing, of his inability to satisfy theorder or decree for payment, and shall send a copy of suchnotification to the prosecuting attorney of the county whereinthe child is located.

3. As compensation for his services the friend of the courtshall be allowed a fee in each case of not to exceed fiftydollars which shall be taxed as costs.

4. Such delinquent payments as may be collected hereundershall be made payable to "friend of the court". The friend ofthe court, after first deducting his fee as hereinabove providedin subsection 3, shall disburse the collected delinquent paymentsto the person entitled to receive them in accordance with theterms of the decree for which enforcement of payment is soughtand he shall report said collection and disbursement to thecourt.

5. Upon the appointment of a friend of the court as requiredby this section, each circuit judge shall notify all prosecutingattorneys and circuit clerks within his circuit of suchappointment, and shall give them the name and address of eachsuch friend of the court.