1. When the court is unavailable after business hours or on holidays or weekends, a verified petition for protection from domestic violence or a motion for hearing on violation of any order of protection under sections 455.010 to 455.085 may be filed before any available court in the city or county having jurisdiction to hear the petition pursuant to the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection 4 of this section. An ex parte order may be granted pursuant to section 455.035.

2. All papers in connection with the filing of a petition or the granting of an ex parte order of protection or a motion for a hearing on a violation of an order of protection under this section shall be certified by such court or the clerk within the next regular business day to the circuit court having jurisdiction to hear the petition.

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Terms Used In Missouri Laws 455.030

  • Court: the circuit or associate circuit judge or a family court commissioner. See Missouri Laws 455.010
  • Domestic violence: abuse or stalking committed by a family or household member, as such terms are defined in this section. See Missouri Laws 455.010
  • Ex parte order of protection: an order of protection issued by the court before the respondent has received notice of the petition or an opportunity to be heard on it. See Missouri Laws 455.010
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Order of protection: either an ex parte order of protection or a full order of protection. See Missouri Laws 455.010
  • Petitioner: a family or household member who has been a victim of domestic violence, or any person who has been the victim of stalking or sexual assault, or a person filing on behalf of a child pursuant to section 455. See Missouri Laws 455.010
  • Place of residence: means the place where the family of any person permanently resides in this state, and the place where any person having no family generally lodges. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

3. A petitioner seeking a protection order shall not be required to reveal any current address or place of residence except to the court in camera for the purpose of determining jurisdiction and venue. The petitioner may be required to provide a mailing address unless the petitioner alleges that he or she would be endangered by such disclosure, or that other family or household members would be endangered by such disclosure. Effective January 1, 2004, a petitioner shall not be required to provide his or her Social Security number on any petition or document filed in connection with a protection order; except that, the court may require that a petitioner’s Social Security number be retained on a confidential case sheet or other confidential record maintained in conjunction with the administration of the case.

4. The supreme court shall develop guidelines which ensure that a verified petition may be filed on holidays, evenings and weekends.