{"data":{"id":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-452.770","jurisdiction":"us-mo","citation":"Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.770","heading":"Inconvenient forum.","body":"1. A court of this state that has jurisdiction under sections 452.700 to 452.930 to make a child custody determination may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if the court determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum. The issue of inconvenient forum may be raised upon the court's own motion, at the request of another court or upon motion of a party.\n2. Before determining whether the court is an inconvenient forum, a court of this state shall consider whether it is appropriate that a court of another state exercise jurisdiction. For this purpose, the court shall allow the parties to submit information and shall consider all relevant factors, including:\n(1) Whether domestic violence has occurred and is likely to continue in the future and which state could best protect the parties and the child;\n(2) The length of time the child has resided outside this state;\n(3) The distance between the court in this state and the court in the state that would assume jurisdiction;\n(4) The relative financial circumstances of the parties;\n(5) Any agreement of the parties as to which state should assume jurisdiction;\n(6) The nature and location of the evidence required to resolve the pending litigation, including the testimony of the child;\n(7) The ability of the court of each state to decide the issue expeditiously and the procedures necessary to present the evidence; and\n(8) The familiarity of the court of each state with the facts and issues of the pending litigation.\n3. If a court of this state determines that it is an inconvenient forum and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum, the court shall stay the proceedings on the condition that a child custody proceeding be promptly commenced in another designated state and may impose any other condition the court considers just and proper.\n4. A court of this state may decline to exercise its jurisdiction under sections 452.700 to 452.930 if a child custody determination is incidental to an action for divorce or another proceeding while still retaining jurisdiction over the divorce or other proceeding.","path":["Title XXX - DOMESTIC RELATIONS","Chapter 452 - Dissolution of Marriage, Divorce, Alimony and Separate Maintenance"],"source_url":"https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=452.770","current_through":"2026 legislative session (floor)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T22:23:28Z","sha256":"e214be07bb764aaae7d2a3cb16dc4e53104431f39a53df5fbb2d3e7f4d1994b2","source_id":"us-mo","stale":false,"prev":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-452.765","next":"us-mo/mo.-rev.-stat.-452.775"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}