SECONDREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.2851
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVESHARPE(4).
5960H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsections452.335and452.370,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereoftwonewsections
relatingtodomesticrelations.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Sections452.335and452.370,RSMo,arerepealedandtwonewsections
2enactedinlieuthereof,tobeknownassections452.335and452.370,toreadasfollows:
452.335.1.Inaproceedingfornonretroactiveinvalidity,dissolutionofmarriageor
2legalseparation,oraproceedingformaintenancefollowingdissolutionofthemarriagebya
3courtwhichlackedpersonaljurisdictionovertheabsentspouse,thecourtmaygranta
4maintenanceorder, whichmaybebridge,rehabilitative,ordurational,toeitherspouse,
5butonlyifitfindsthatthespouseseekingmaintenance:
6 (1)Lackssufficientproperty,includingmaritalpropertyapportionedtohimorher,to
7provideforhisorherreasonableneeds;and
8 (2)Isunabletosupporthimselforherselfthroughappropriateemploymentoristhe
9custodianofachildwhoseconditionorcircumstancesmakeitappropriatethatthecustodian
10notberequiredtoseekemploymentoutsidethehome.
11 2.Thegeneralassemblyherebyfindsanddeclaresthateveryspousehasa
12continuingdutytobecomeself-supportingfollowingthedissolutionofamarriage,so
13longasphysicallyandmentallycapable.Further,maintenanceisnotintendedasa
14substituteforgainfulemployment,anopen-endedobligationwithoutlimitation,ora
15guarantyofacertainstandardofliving.Themaintenanceordershallbeinsuchamounts
16andforsuchperiodsoftimeasthecourtdeemsjust,andafterconsideringallrelevantfactors,
17including:
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 (1)Thefinancialresourcesofthepartyseekingmaintenance,includingmarital
19propertyapportionedtohimorher,andhisorherabilitytomeethisorherneeds
20independently,includingtheextenttowhichaprovisionforsupportofachild, oradisabled
21orincapacitatedadultdependent,livingwiththepartyincludesasumforthatpartyas
22custodian;
23 (2)Thetimenecessarytoacquiresufficienteducationortrainingtoenabletheparty
24seekingmaintenancetofindappropriateemployment;
25 (3)Thecomparativeearningcapacityofeachspouseandtheeffortsmadebyeach
26spousetotakestepstobecomeself-supportinginaccordancewithsubsection2ofthis
27section;
28 (4)Thestandardoflivingestablishedduringthemarriageconsideredinlightof
29subsection2ofthissection;
30 (5)Theobligationsandassets,includingthemaritalpropertyapportionedtohimor
31herandtheseparatepropertyofeachparty;
32 (6)Thedurationofthemarriage;
33 (7)Theage[,] andthephysicalandemotionalconditionof[thespouseseeking
34maintenance] eachparty;
35 (8)Theabilityofthespousefromwhommaintenanceissoughttomeethisorher
36needswhilemeetingthoseofthespouseseekingmaintenance;
37 (9)Theconductofthepartiesduringthemarriage;and
38 (10)Anyotherrelevantfactors.
39 3.Themaintenanceordershallstateifitisbridge,rehabilitative,ordurationaland
40whethertheorderismodifiableornonmodifiable.Thecourt[may] shallordermaintenance
41whichincludesaterminationdateinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofthissection. Unless
42themaintenanceorderwhichincludesaterminationdateisnonmodifiable,thecourtmay
43orderthemaintenancedecreased,increased,terminated,extended,orotherwisemodified
44baseduponasubstantialandcontinuingchangeofcircumstanceswhichoccurredpriortothe
45terminationdateoftheoriginalorder, providedthatnomaintenanceordershallbe
46modifiedtoextenditsdurationinexcessofthelimitsestablishedinthissection,except
47asprovidedinsubsection10ofthissection.
48 4.Forpurposesofdeterminingmaintenanceonly,oramodificationthereto,a
49short-termmarriageisamarriagehavingadurationoflessthansevenyears;a
50moderate-termmarriageisamarriagehavingadurationofsevenyearsormorebutless
51thanseventeenyears;andalong-termmarriageisamarriagehavingadurationof
52seventeenyearsormore.Thedurationofamarriageistheperiodoftimefromthefirst
53dayofthemarriageuntilthedateofthefilingofapetitionfordissolutionofmarriageor
54legalseparation.
HB2851 2 55 5.Bridgemaintenancemaybeawardedtoassistapartytoashort-term
56marriageseekingmaintenancewithlegitimate,identifiableshort-termneeds.The
57lengthofthemaintenanceshallnotexceedtwoyears.Anawardofbridgemaintenance
58shallterminateuponthedeathofeitherpartyorupontheremarriageoftheparty
59receivingmaintenance.Anawardofbridgemaintenanceshallnotbemodifiablein
60amountorduration.
61 6.(1)Rehabilitativemaintenancemaybeawardedtoassistapartytoashort-
62termormoderate-termmarriageseekingmaintenanceinestablishingthecapacityfor
63self-supportthrougheither:
64 (a)Theredevelopmentofpreviousskillsorcredentials;or
65 (b)Theacquisitionofeducation,training,orworkexperiencenecessaryto
66developappropriateemploymentskillsorcredentials.
67 (2)Thelengthoftherehabilitativemaintenanceshallnotexceedfouryears.
68 (3)Anawardofrehabilitativemaintenancemaybemodifiedorterminated
69baseduponsubstantialandcontinuingchangedcircumstances,asaresultofthefailure,
70orinsufficienteffortsbeingmadebythepartyreceivingrehabilitativemaintenance,to
71establishthecapacityforself-supportasprovidedinthissubsection,oruponcompletion
72oftherehabilitativeeffortscontemplatedbythissubsection,providedthatthelengthof
73themaintenanceshallnotbemodifiedtoexceedthelimitssetforthinthissubsection,
74exceptinaccordancewithsubsection10ofthissection.
75 7.Durationalmaintenancemaybeawardedtoprovidefortheneedsand
76necessitiesoflifeastheywereestablishedduringamoderate-termorlong-term
77marriage.Durationalmaintenancemaybeawardedifsuchanawardisappropriate
78uponconsiderationofthefactorssetforthinsubsection2ofthissection.
79 8.Exceptasprovidedinsubsection10ofthissection,acourtshallnotorder
80durationalmaintenancethatremainsineffectformorethan:
81 (1)Fiveyearsifthedurationofthemarriagewassevenyearsormorebutless
82thantwelveyears;
83 (2)Sevenyearsifthedurationofthemarriagewastwelveyearsormorebutless
84thanseventeenyears;or
85 (3)Tenyearsifthedurationofthemarriagewasseventeenyearsormore.
86
87Anawardofdurationalmaintenancemaybemodifiedinaccordancewiththeprovisions
88ofsubsection3ofthissection,providedthatthelengthofthemaintenanceshallnotbe
89modifiedtoexceedthelimitssetforthinthissubsection,exceptasprovidedin
90subsection10ofthissection.
HB2851 3 91 9.Inestablishingthetermofdurationalmaintenance,andforpurposesofall
92maintenancemodificationsdecidedonorafterAugust28,2024,thecourtshallconsider
93allrelevantfactorsincluding,butnotlimitedto:
94 (1)Theretirement,ortheprospectandabilityofthepayorofmaintenanceto
95retire,fromfull-timeemploymentorreducehisorheremploymentstatustopart-time
96oracceptlowerpayingemploymentaspartofaplantoretire;
97 (2)Theageofthepartypayingmaintenance;
98 (3)Thedurationandamountofmaintenancealreadypaid,andtheeffortsmade
99bythepartyseekingmaintenancetobecomeself-supporting;
100 (4)Thelikelihoodthatthelifestyleofbothspousesmayreasonablydecline
101followingadissolutionofmarriageorlegalseparationandasthepartiesapproach
102retirementage;and
103 (5)Theprovisionsofsubsection2ofthissection.
104 10.Notwithstandingthelimitssetforthinsubsections6and8ofthissection,a
105courtmayawarddurationalmaintenanceormodifyrehabilitativeordurational
106maintenanceinexcessofthelimitssetforthinthissectionifthecourtspecificallyfinds,
107afterconsiderationofallrelevantfactors,includingthosesetforthinsubsection2ofthis
108section,that:
109 (1)Suchlimitswillresultinasubstantialandcontinuinghardshipfortheparty
110seeking,orcurrentlyreceivingmaintenance;
111 (2)Thepartyseekingmaintenancemeetsthecriteriainsubdivisions(1)and(2)
112ofsubsection1ofthissection;
113 (3)Thepartyseekingmaintenancewillbeunabletoestablishthecapacityfor
114self-supportwithinthemaintenancelimitssetforthinsubsection6or8ofthissection
115fortheapplicablemaritaldurationatissue;and
116 (4)Extendingthemaintenancefurtherunderthissubsectionisjustandfairto
117bothparties.
118
119Ifthecourtextendsthedurationofthemaintenanceunderthissubsection,thecourt
120shallenterwrittenfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawsettingforththegroundsfor
121exceedingthelimitssetforthinthissectionintheorderestablishingormodifying
122rehabilitativeordurationalmaintenance,specificallyaddressingsubdivisions(1)to(4)
123ofthissubsection,providedthatabsentfindingsmadebythecourtinaccordancewith
124thissubsection,themaximumdurationforanymaintenanceorderedunderthis
125subsection,orinanyproceedingwheremaintenanceisconsidered,shallbethelesserof
126atimeperiodequaltofiftypercentofthedurationofthemarriageatissue,calculated
127fromthedateofthemarriagethroughseparation,orfifteenyears.Thecourtshallalso
HB2851 4 128incorporateaspartofanymodifiablemaintenanceorderenteredunderthischaptera
129specificorderthatthepartyreceivingmaintenancehasanaffirmativedutytomake
130reasonableandcontinuingeffortstoestablishthecapacityforself-supportandto
131becomeself-supporting,andthefailuretodosomayberelieduponbythecourtas
132groundsforamodificationorterminationofmaintenanceinanyfutureproceeding
133unlessthephysicalormentalconditionofthepartyseekingmaintenanceorthe
134applicationofsubsection12or13ofthissectionmakestheinclusionofsuchaprovision
135intheorderunreasonableorinappropriate.
136 11.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedbysubsection12or13ofthissection,anorder
137awardingmaintenanceshallbesubjecttomodification,ifmodifiable,orterminationifit
138canbeshownthattherecipientandanotherpersonarecohabitatingorhaveentered
139intoamutuallysupportiverelationshipthatisthefunctionalequivalentofmarriageora
140committedpartnershipthathasexistedforatleasttwelvemonthsofaneighteen-month
141period.
142 12.Forpurposesofmodificationofpriorordersestablishingmaintenance,the
143standardssetforthinthissectionshallbeapplicabletoallinitialactionsand
144modificationsdecidedonorafterAugust28,2024.Notwithstandingprovisionstothe
145contrarycontainedinthissectionorsection452.370,eitherpartytoanymaintenance
146orderenteredpriortoAugust28,2024,mayfileamodificationundersection452.370
147seekingtoclassifymaintenancebeingpaidunderanexistingmaintenanceorderas
148bridge,rehabilitative,ordurationalortoshortenorlengthenthetermofmaintenance
149beingpaidunderanysuchorder,providedthatthetimelimits,publicpolicystatements,
150andotherprovisionsofthissectionandsection452.370shallcontrolinallsuchactions
151initiatedunderthosesections,including,withoutlimitation,thedurationallimitson
152maintenancespecifiedinthissection.Thereshallbeapresumptioninfavorof
153modifyingsuchexistingorderstobringthemintoconformitywiththeprovisionsofthis
154sectionandsection452.370andspecificallythepublicpolicysetforthinthissectionand
155section452.370,andcourtsshallhavethelatitudetogivecreditformaintenancepaid
156underanexistingordertowardanymodifiedmaintenancetermenteredaspartofa
157modificationorder.
158 13.Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstruedtoprohibitpartiesfromreaching
159anagreement,submittedinwritingtothecourt,regardingthetypeordurationof
160modifiableornonmodifiablemaintenance,regardlessofwhetherthedurationof
161maintenanceinsuchagreementexceedsthelimitsdescribedinthissection.
452.370.1.Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinsubsection6ofsection452.325,andin
2accordancewiththeprovisionsofsection452.335,theprovisionsofanyjudgment
3respectingmaintenanceorsupportmaybemodifiedonlyuponashowingof[changed
HB2851 5 4circumstancesso]substantialandcontinuing[astomakethetermsunreasonable] changed
5circumstances. Inaproceedingformodificationofanychildsupportormaintenance
6judgment,thecourt,indeterminingwhetherornot[a]substantial[changein]andcontinuing
7changedcircumstances[has]haveoccurred,shallconsiderallfinancialresourcesofboth
8parties,includingtheextenttowhichthereasonableexpensesofeitherpartyare,orshould
9be,sharedbyaspouseorotherpersonwithwhomheorshecohabits,andtheearningcapacity
10ofapartywhoisnotemployed.Iftheapplicationofthechildsupportguidelinesandcriteria
11setforthinsection452.340andapplicablesupremecourtrulestothefinancialcircumstances
12ofthepartieswouldresultinachangeofchildsupportfromtheexistingamountbytwenty
13percentormore,aprimafacieshowinghasbeenmadeof[achangeofcircumstancesso]
14substantialandcontinuing[astomakethepresenttermsunreasonable] changed
15circumstances, iftheexistingamountwasbaseduponthepresumedamountpursuantto
16thechildsupportguidelines.
17 2.Whenthepartyseekingmodificationhasmettheburdenofproofsetforthin
18subsection1ofthissection,thechildsupportshallbedeterminedinconformitywithcriteria
19setforthinsection452.340andapplicablesupremecourtrules.
20 3.Unlessotherwiseagreedinwritingorexpresslyprovidedinthejudgment,the
21obligationtopayfuturestatutorymaintenanceisterminateduponthedeathofeitherparty
22[or],theremarriageofthepartyreceivingmaintenance, orifitcanbeshownthattheparty
23receivingmaintenanceandanotherpersonarecohabitatingorhaveenteredintoa
24mutuallysupportiverelationshipthatisthefunctionalequivalentofmarriageor
25committedpartnershipthathasexistedforatleasttwelvemonthsofaneighteen-month
26period.
27 4.Unlessotherwiseagreedinwritingorexpresslyprovidedinthejudgment,
28provisionsforthesupportofachildareterminatedbyemancipationofthechild.Theparent
29entitledtoreceivechildsupportshallhavethedutytonotifytheparentobligatedtopay
30supportofthechild'semancipationandfailingtodoso,theparententitledtoreceivechild
31supportshallbeliabletotheparentobligatedtopaysupportforchildsupportpaidfollowing
32emancipationofaminorchild,plusinterest.
33 5.Ifaparenthasmadeanassignmentofsupportrightstothefamilysupportdivision
34onbehalfofthestateasaconditionofeligibilityforbenefitspursuanttotheTemporary
35AssistanceforNeedyFamiliesprogramandeitherpartyinitiatesamotiontomodifythe
36supportobligationbyreducingit,thestateofMissourishallbenamedasapartytothe
37proceeding.Thestateshallbeservedwithacopyofthemotionbysendingitbycertified
38mailtothedirectorofthefamilysupportdivision.
39 6.Thecourtshallhavecontinuingpersonaljurisdictionoverboththeobligeeandthe
40obligorofacourtorderforchildsupportormaintenanceforthepurposeofmodifyingsuch
HB2851 6 41order.Bothobligeeandobligorshallnotify,inwriting,theclerkofthecourtinwhichthe
42supportormaintenanceorderwasenteredofanychangeofmailingaddress.Ifpersonal
43serviceofthemotioncannotbehadinthisstate,themotiontomodifyandnoticeofhearing
44shallbeservedoutsidethestateasprovidedbysupremecourtrule54.14.Theordermaybe
45modifiedonlyastosupportormaintenanceinstallmentswhichaccruedsubsequenttothedate
46ofpersonalservice.Forthepurposeof42U.S.C.Section666(a)(9)(C),thecircuitclerkshall
47beconsideredtheappropriateagenttoreceivenoticeofthemotiontomodifyfortheobligee
48ortheobligor,butonlyinthoseinstancesinwhichpersonalservicecouldnotbehadinthis
49state.
50 7.Ifaresponsivepleadingraisingtheissuesofcustodyorvisitationisfiledin
51responsetoamotiontomodifychildsupportfiledattherequestofthefamilysupport
52divisionbyaprosecutingattorneyorcircuitattorneyoranattorneyundercontractwiththe
53division,suchresponsivepleadingshallbesevereduponrequest.
54 8.Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthissectionwhichrequiresashowingof
55substantialandcontinuing[changein]changedcircumstances,inaIV-Dcasefiledpursuant
56tothissectionbythefamilysupportdivisionasprovidedinsection454.400,thecourtshall
57modifyasupportorderinaccordancewiththeguidelinesandcriteriasetforthinsupreme
58courtrule88.01andanyregulationsthereunderiftheamountinthecurrentorderdiffersfrom
59theamountwhichwouldbeorderedinaccordancewithsuchguidelinesorregulations.
âś”
HB2851 7