Effective 28 Aug 2018

211.444. Termination of parental rights, when. — The juvenile court may, upon petition of the juvenile officer or a child-placing agency licensed under sections 210.481 to 210.536 in conjunction with a placement with such agency under subsection 6 of section 453.010 or a private attorney filing a petition for adoption under the provisions of chapter 453, terminate the rights of a parent or receive the consent to a specific adoption or waiver of consent to adoption executed by a parent or named father to a child, including a child who is a ward of the court, if the court finds that such termination, consent to a specific adoption, or waiver of consent to adoption is in the best interests of the child, and the parent or named father has, in a properly executed writing under section 453.030 or 453.050, consented to the termination of his or her parental rights, consented to a specific adoption, or waived consent to adoption.

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(L. 1985 H.B. 366, et al., A.L. 1997 H.B. 343, A.L. 1998 S.B. 674, A.L. 2007 S.B. 84, A.L. 2018 S.B. 800)

CROSS REFERENCE:

Application of law to adoption petitions filed on or after August 28, 1997, 453.012

(1987) Termination of parental rights of father was not in the best interest of adopted child even though father consented to termination where father sought termination of parental rights pursuant to this section in order to be relieved of financial obligations toward child imposed on him by divorce decree. In Interest of B.L.G., 731 S.W.2d 492 (Mo. App.)