487.020. Appointment of commissioners, juvenile commissioners, automatic appointment, terms--eleventh judicial circuit, family court commissioner, compensation--qualifications, compensation, retiremen

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

487.020. Appointment of commissioners, juvenile commissioners, automatic appointment, terms--eleventh judicial circuit, family court commissioner, compensation--qualifications, compensation, retiremen

Appointment of commissioners, juvenile commissioners, automaticappointment, terms--eleventh judicial circuit, family courtcommissioner, compensation--qualifications, compensation, retirement.

487.020. 1. In each circuit or a county having a family court, amajority of the circuit and associate circuit judges en banc, in thecircuit, may appoint commissioners, subject to appropriations, to hearfamily court cases and make findings as provided for in sections 487.010 to487.190. Any person serving as a commissioner of the juvenile division ofthe circuit court on August 28, 1993, shall become a commissioner of thefamily court. In each circuit or a county therein having a family court, amajority of the circuit and associate circuit judges en banc may appoint,in addition to those commissioners serving as commissioners of the juveniledivision and becoming commissioners of the family court pursuant to theprovisions of sections 487.020 to 487.040, no more than three additionalcommissioners to hear family court cases and make findings andrecommendations as provided in sections 487.010 to 487.190. The number ofadditional commissioners added as a result of the provisions of sections487.010 to 487.190 may be appointed only to the extent that the state isreimbursed for the salaries of the commissioners as provided in sections487.010 to 487.190 or by federal or county funds or by gifts or grants madefor such purposes. A commissioner shall be appointed for a term of fouryears. Commissioners appointed pursuant to sections 487.020 to 487.040shall serve in addition to circuit judges, associate circuit court judgesand commissioners authorized to hear actions classified under section487.080.

2. The circuit court in the eleventh judicial circuit may, insubstitution of a family court commissioner currently appointed pursuant tothis section whose salary is reimbursable, appoint one family courtcommissioner whose compensation shall be payable by the state withoutnecessity of reimbursement. The provisions of this subsection shall not beconstrued to allow appointment of a family court commissioner in additionto the number of such family court commissioners holding office in theeleventh judicial circuit as of January 1, 1999, and the appointment of thestate-paid commissioner shall be subject to appropriations for suchpurpose.

3. Each commissioner of the family court shall possess the samequalifications as a circuit judge. The compensation and retirementbenefits of each commissioner shall be the same as that of an associatecircuit judge, payable in the same manner and from the same source as thatof an associate circuit judge.