537.045. Parent or guardian liable for damages by minor, when, limitation--minor's liability--work accepted in lieu of payment. - Missouri Statutes

Parent or guardian liable for damages by minor, when,limitation--minor's liability--work accepted in lieu of payment.

537.045. 1. The parent or guardian, excluding fosterparents, of any unemancipated minor, under eighteen years of age,in their care and custody, against whom judgment has beenrendered for purposely marking upon, defacing or in any waydamaging any property, shall be liable for the payment of thatjudgment up to an amount not to exceed two thousand dollars,provided that the parent or guardian has been joined as a partydefendant in the original action. The judgment provided in thissubsection to be paid shall be paid to the owner of the propertydamaged, but such payment shall not be a bar to any criminalaction or any proceeding against the unemancipated minor for suchdamage for the balance of the judgment not paid by the parent orguardian.

2. The parent or guardian, excluding foster parents, of anyunemancipated minor, under eighteen years of age, in their careand custody, against whom judgment has been rendered forpurposely causing personal injury to any individual, shall beliable for the payment for that judgment up to an amount not toexceed two thousand dollars, provided that the parent or guardianhas been joined as a party defendant in the original action. Thejudgment provided in this subsection to be paid shall be paid tothe person injured, but such payment shall not be a bar to anycriminal action or any proceeding against the unemancipated minorfor such damage for the balance of the judgment not paid by theparent or guardian.

3. Upon rendering a judgment in any proceeding under thissection, the judge may order the parent or guardian, and theminor who damaged the property or caused the personal injury, towork for the owner of the property damaged or the person injuredin lieu of payment, if the parent, minor and the owner of theproperty damaged or the person injured are agreeable.

(L. 1965 p. 661 § 1, A.L. 1979 H.B. 207, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1734)

CROSS REFERENCES:

Damages by minor, restitution, RSMo 211.185

Defacing state buildings, liability, RSMo 8.150

Parents liable for minors defacing state capitol, RSMo 8.150