FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.400
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEAMATO.
0147H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection534.602,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingto
unlawfuloccupancyonprivatenoncommercialproperty.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section534.602,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection534.602,toreadasfollows:
534.602.1.Forpurposesofthissection,thefollowingtermsmean:
2 (1)"Petitioner",thepropertyowner,oranauthorizedagentofapropertyowner,of
3privatenoncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling] whohasfiledaverified
4petitionundertheprovisionsofthissection;
5 (2)"Respondent",thepersonorpersonsunlawfullyoccupyingprivate
6noncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling], againstwhomaverified
7petitionhasbeenfiled;
8 (3)"Unlawfuloccupant"or"unlawfuloccupants",anypersonorpersonswhodetain,
9occupy,ortrespassonprivatenoncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling]
10withoutthepermissionofthepropertyowner,whootherwisehavenolegalrighttooccupy
11thepropertyunderstatelaw,andwhoarenotaffordedanyprotectionsprovidedtoatenant
12understatelaw.
13 2.Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthischaptertothecontrary,apropertyowneror
14hisorherauthorizedagentmayseekrelieffortheremovalofapersonorpersonsunlawfully
15occupyingprivatenoncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling] underthis
16sectionbyfilingaverifiedpetitioninthecountyorcitynotwithinacountywherethe
17propertyislocated.
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 3.Exceptasprovidedinsubsection6ofthissection,clerksofthecourtunderthe
19supervisionofacircuitclerkshallexplaintothepropertyownerorhisorherauthorizedagent
20notrepresentedbycounseltheproceduresforfilingallformsandpleadingsnecessaryforthe
21presentationofhisorherpetitiontothecourt.Noticeofthefactthatclerkswillprovidesuch
22assistanceshallbeconspicuouslypostedintheclerks'offices.Thelocationoftheoffice
23whereapetitioncanbefiledshallbeconspicuouslypostedinthecourtbuilding.The
24performanceofdutiesprescribedinthissectionshallnotconstitutethepracticeoflawas
25definedinsection484.010.Alldutiesoftheclerkprescribedinthissectionshallbe
26performedwithoutcosttothelitigants.Thesupremecourtmaypromulgaterulesas
27necessarytogovernconductofcourtclerksunderthissectionandshallprovideformsfor
28petitionsandwritteninstructionsonfillingoutallformsandpleadingsnecessaryforthe
29presentationofthepetitiontothecourt.
30 4.Filingfeesandcourtcostsunderthissectionshallbethesameasfilingfeesand
31courtcostsrequiredwhenfilingaclaiminassociatecircuitcourt.
32 5.(1)Uponthefilingofaverifiedpetitionunderthissection,andforgoodcause
33shownintheverifiedpetition,thecourtshallimmediatelyissueanexparteordertoremove
34therespondent.Theassertionofsufficientevidencethatthepersonorpersonsareunlawfully
35occupyingprivatenoncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling] shall
36constitutegoodcauseforpurposesofthissection.Theverifiedpetitionshallsetforththe
37following:
38 (a)Thepetitioneristhepropertyownerorauthorizedagentofthepropertyowner;
39 (b)[Thepropertythatisbeingoccupiedincludesaresidentialdwelling;
40 (c)] Anunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantshaveenteredandremainor
41continuetoresideonthepropertyowner'sproperty;
42 [(d)](c)Therealpropertywasnotopentomembersofthepublicatthetimethe
43unlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsentered;
44 [(e)](d)Theunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsareoccupyingtheproperty
45withoutthepermissionofthepropertyownerandarenotguestsofthepropertyownernor
46otherwiseauthorizedtomakeuseoftheproperty;
47 [(f)](e)Thepropertyownerhasdirectedtheunlawfuloccupantorunlawful
48occupantstoleavethepropertyandtheunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantshavefailed
49orrefusedtovacatethe[premises] property;
50 [(g)](f)Thepropertyhasnotbeenleasedtoanypersonforthreeconsecutivemonths,
51andtheunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsarenotcurrentorformertenantsofthe
52propertypursuanttoanyagreementwiththepropertyowner;
53 [(h)](g)Theunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsarenotimmediatefamily
54membersofthepropertyowner;and
HB400 2 55 [(i)](h)Thereisnopendinglitigationrelatedtotherealpropertybetweenthe
56propertyownerandanyknownunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupants.
57 (2)Anexparteorderenteredbythecourttohavetheunlawfuloccupantorunlawful
58occupantsremovedfromprivatenoncommercialproperty[containingaresidentialdwelling
59enteredbythecourt] shalltakeeffectwhenenteredandshallremainineffectuntilthereis
60validserviceofprocessandahearingisheldonthemotion.Suchhearingshallbeheld
61withinforty-eighthoursoffilingtheverifiedpetitionunlessgoodcauseisshownforadelay.
62Thecourtshalldenytheexparteorderanddismissthepetitionifthepetitionerisnot
63authorizedtoseekreliefordoesnotshowgoodcause.
64 (3)Failuretoserveanexparteorderontherespondentshallnotaffectthevalidityor
65enforceabilityofsuchorder.
66 6.Anyexparteordergrantedunderthissectionshallbetoprotectthepetitionerfrom
67trespassbyanunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsandmayincludesuchtermsasthe
68courtreasonablydeemsnecessarytoensurethepetitioner'ssafetyincluding,butnotlimited
69to:
70 (1)Restrainingtherespondentfromcommittingorthreateningtocommitanyactof
71violence,molestation,stalking,assault,ordisturbingthepeaceofthepetitionerorthe
72petitioner'sproperty,includingviolenceagainstapet;
73 (2)Restrainingtherespondentfromenteringthepetitioner's[premises] propertyor
74dwellingunitorcomingwithinacertainproximityofthepetitioner's[premises] propertyor
75dwellingunit;and
76 (3)Restrainingtherespondentfromcommunicatingwiththepetitionerinanymanner
77orthroughanymedium.
78 7.Whenthecourthas,afterahearingonthepetition,issuedanorderforreliefto
79permanentlyexcludeanunlawfuloccupantorunlawfuloccupantsfromthepetitioner's
80property,itmayadditionally:
81 (1)Permanentlyrestraintherespondentfromcommittingorthreateningtocommit
82anyactofviolence,molestation,stalking,assault,ordisturbingthepeaceofthepetitioneror
83thepetitioner'sproperty,includingviolenceagainstapet;
84 (2)Permanentlyrestraintherespondentfromenteringthepetitioner's[premises]
85propertyordwellingunitorcomingwithinacertainproximityofthepetitioner's[premises]
86propertyordwellingunit;
87 (3)Permanentlyrestraintherespondentfromcommunicatingwiththepetitionerin
88anymannerorthroughanymedium;
89 (4)Permanentlyexpeltherespondentfromoccupyingthepetitioner's[premises]
90propertyordwellingunit;
HB400 3 91 (5)Permanentlyexpeltherespondent'spersonalpropertyfromthepetitioner's
92[premises] propertyordwellingunit;
93 (6)Ordertherespondenttopayallcostsofrepairtothepetitioner's[premises]
94propertyordwellingunitrelatingtodamagescausedbytherespondent;
95 (7)Ordertherespondenttopayallcostsassociatedwithserviceofanyexparteorder
96authorizedagainsttherespondent;or
97 (8)Ordertherespondenttopaycourtcosts.
98 8.Averifiedpetitionseekinganexparteorderunderthissectionshallcontain
99allegationsrelatingtothoseordersandshallprayfortheordersdesired.
100 9.Oncethecourtgrantsanorderunderthissection,thesheriffofthecountyorcity
101notwithinacountyinwhichthepropertyislocatedshallenforcesuchorderbyremovingthe
102respondentfromtheproperty.
103 10.Ifappropriate,thesheriffmayarrestanypersonfound[inthedwelling] onthe
104propertyfortrespass,outstandingwarrants,oranyotherlegalcause.
105 11.Thesheriffisentitledtothesamefeefortheserviceoftheexparteordergranted
106underthissectionasifthesheriffwereservingawritofpossessionundersection57.280.
107Afterthesheriffservestheorder,thepropertyownerorauthorizedagentmayrequestthatthe
108sheriffstandbytokeepthepeacewhilethepropertyowneroragentofthepropertyowner
109changesthelocksifthepropertycontainsaresidentialdwellingandremovesthe
110[personal] property, includingpersonalproperty,oftheunlawfuloccupantsfromthe
111premisestoornearthepropertyline.Whensucharequestismade,thesheriffmaychargea
112reasonablehourlyrate,andthepersonrequestingthesherifftostandbyandkeepthepeaceis
113responsibleforpayingthereasonablehourlyratesetbythesheriff.Thesheriffshallnotbe
114liabletotheunlawfuloccupantoroccupantsortoanyotherpartyfortheloss,destruction,or
115damageofproperty.Thepropertyownerorhisorherauthorizedagentshallnotbeliableto
116anunlawfuloccupantoranyotherpartyfortheloss,destruction,ordamagetothe[personal]
117property, includingpersonalproperty,unlesstheremovalwaswrongful.
118 12.Apersonmaybringacivilcauseofactionifthepersonwasremovedfromthe
119propertyunderthissectionwithoutjustcause.Suchpersonmayseekrestoredpossessionto
120therealproperty,actualdamagesto[personal] property, includingpersonalpropertywhen
121[personal] suchpropertywasremoved,statutorydamagesintheamountofonethousand
122dollars,andreimbursementofcourtcosts.Anydamagesauthorizedunderthissubsection
123shallbeoffsetbyanydamagestotherealpropertyinflictedbythepersonwhowasremoved
124fromtherealpropertywithoutjustcause.Suchdamagestorealpropertyshallbeprovenby
125thepropertyowner.Awardsofactualdamagesshallnotexceedthevalueofthedamaged
126[personal] property.
HB400 4 127 13.Theprovisionsofthissectiondonotlimittherightsofapropertyownerorlimit
128theauthorityofalawenforcementofficertoarrestanunlawfuloccupantfortrespassing,
129vandalism,theft,orothercrimes.
130 14.Allproceedingsunderthissectionareinadditiontoanyotheravailablecivilor
131criminalremedies,unlessotherwisespecificallyprovidedinthissection.
132 15.(1)Thecourtshallretainjurisdictionovertheexparteorderorfullorderof
133protectionissuedunderthissectionforitsentireduration.Thecourtmayschedule
134compliancereviewhearingstomonitortherespondent'scompliancewiththeorder.
135 (2)Thetermsoftheexparteorderorfullorderofprotectionissuedunderthissection
136areenforceablebyallremediesavailableatlawfortheenforcementofajudgment,andthe
137courtmaypunisharespondentwhowillfullyviolatestheexparteordertothesameextentas
138providedbylawforcontemptofthecourtinanyothersuitorproceedingcognizablebythe
139court.
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