453.075. Petitioner in adoption proceeding to give accounting, when--contents--consequences of impropriety.
Petitioner in adoption proceeding to give accounting,when--contents--consequences of impropriety.
453.075. 1. The court shall require the petitioner in any proceedingfor adoption to file at the time of filing the petition for permission toadopt, a signed and verified full accounting of any money, anything ofvalue or other consideration paid or transferred by or on behalf of thepetitioner in connection with the placement or adoption. The accountingshall show all payments or transfers made or to be made or considerationgiven or promised by or on behalf of the petitioner in connection with theplacement or adoption, including:
(1) Hospital, medical and physician expenses incurred by the motheror a child in connection with the birth and any illness of the newbornchild;
(2) Counseling services for a parent or child for a reasonable timebefore and after the child's placement for adoption;
(3) Expenses incurred in obtaining a preplacement assessment and anassessment during the proceeding for adoption;
(4) Reasonable legal expenses of the birth parents and adoptiveparents, court costs and travel or other administrative expenses connectedwith an adoption;
(5) Reasonable living expenses, including but not limited to food,shelter, utilities, transportation or clothing expenses of the birthparents and child which are within the norms of the community in which thebirth mother resides; and
(6) Any other services or items the court finds are reasonablynecessary.
2. The court may decline to issue a decree of adoption and, in theevent one of the petitioners is not a biological or adoptive parent of thechild, may order the transfer of lawful custody from the petitioners to alicensed child-placement agency if, after a hearing, it determines:
(1) That any of the payments, transfers or consideration wereunreasonable; or
(2) That any of the payments, transfers or consideration were otherthan those permitted under section 568.175, RSMo; or
(3) That the petitioner has failed to report all of the payments,transfers or consideration given by or on behalf of the petitioner inconnection with the placement or adoption.
(L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1989 H.B. 51, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1296, A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1918 merged with S.B. 674)