454.850. Definitions.
Definitions.
454.850. In sections 454.850 to 454.997:
(1) "Child" means an individual, whether over or under the age ofmajority, who is or is alleged to be owed a duty of support by theindividual's parent or who is or is alleged to be the beneficiary of asupport order directed to the parent.
(2) "Child support order" means a support order for a child,including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of theissuing state.
(3) "Duty of support" means an obligation imposed or imposable by lawto provide support for a child, spouse, or former spouse, including anunsatisfied obligation to provide support.
(4) "Home state" means the state in which a child lived with a parentor a person acting as parent for at least six consecutive monthsimmediately preceding the time of filing of a petition or comparablepleading for support and, if a child is less than six months old, the statein which the child lived from birth with any of them. A period oftemporary absence of any of them is counted as part of the six-month orother period.
(5) "Income" includes earnings or other periodic entitlements tomoney from any source and any other property subject to withholding forsupport under the law of this state.
(6) "Income-withholding order" means an order or other legal processdirected to an obligor's employer or other debtor, as defined by section452.350, RSMo, or 454.505, to withhold support from the income of theobligor.
(7) "Initiating state" means a state from which a proceeding isforwarded or in which a proceeding is filed for forwarding to a respondingstate under the provisions of sections 454.850 to 454.997 or a law orprocedure substantially similar to sections 454.850 to 454.997, or under alaw or procedure substantially similar to the uniform reciprocalenforcement of support act, or the revised uniform reciprocal enforcementof support act .
(8) "Initiating tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in aninitiating state.
(9) "Issuing state" means the state in which a tribunal issues asupport order or renders a judgment determining parentage.
(10) "Issuing tribunal" means the tribunal that issues a supportorder or renders a judgment determining parentage.
(11) "Law" includes decisional and statutory law and rules andregulations having the force of law.
(12) "Obligee" means:
(i) an individual to whom a duty of support is or is alleged to beowed or in whose favor a support order has been issued or a judgmentdetermining parentage has been rendered;
(ii) a state or political subdivision to which the rights under aduty of support or support order have been assigned or which hasindependent claims based on financial assistance provided to an individualobligee; or
(iii) an individual seeking a judgment determining parentage of theindividual's child.
(13) "Obligor" means an individual, or the estate of a decedent:
(i) who owes or is alleged to owe a duty of support;
(ii) who is alleged but has not been adjudicated to be a parent of achild; or
(iii) who is liable under a support order.
(14) "Register" means to record or file a support order or judgmentdetermining parentage in the tribunal having jurisdiction in such action.
(15) "Registering tribunal" means a tribunal in which a support orderis registered.
(16) "Responding state" means a state in which a proceeding is filedor to which a proceeding is forwarded for filing from an initiating stateunder the provisions of sections 454.850 to 454.997 or a law substantiallysimilar to sections 454.850 to 454.997, or under a law or proceduresubstantially similar to the uniform reciprocal enforcement of support act,or the revised uniform reciprocal enforcement of support act.
(17) "Responding tribunal" means the authorized tribunal in aresponding state.
(18) "Spousal-support order" means a support order for a spouse orformer spouse of the obligor.
(19) "State" means a state of the United States, the District ofColumbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or insularpossession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The term"state" includes:
(i) an Indian tribe; and
(ii) a foreign jurisdiction that has enacted a law or establishedprocedures for issuance and enforcement of support orders which aresubstantially similar to the procedures under sections 454.850 to 454.997or the procedures under the uniform reciprocal enforcement of support actor the revised uniform reciprocal enforcement of support act.
(20) "Support enforcement agency" means a public official or agencyauthorized to seek:
(i) enforcement of support orders or laws relating to the duty ofsupport;
(ii) establishment or modification of child support;
(iii) determination of parentage; or
(iv) to locate obligors or their assets.
(21) "Support order" means a judgment, decree, or order, whethertemporary, final, or subject to modification, for the benefit of a child, aspouse, or a former spouse, which provides for monetary support, healthcare, arrearages, or reimbursement, and may include related costs and fees,interest, income withholding, attorney's fees, and other relief.
(22) "Tribunal" means a court, administrative agency, orquasi-judicial entity authorized to establish, enforce, or modify supportorders or to determine parentage.
(L. 1996 H.B. 992, A.L. 1997 S.B. 361)Effective 7-1-97