Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.011 (2026)

Purpose of law

✓ current as of May 2026
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  211.011.  Purpose of law — how construed. — The purpose of this chapter is to facilitate the care, protection and discipline of children who come within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.  This chapter shall be liberally construed, therefore, to the end that each child coming within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall receive such care, guidance and control as will conduce to the child's welfare and the best interests of the state, and that when such child is removed from the control of his parents the court shall secure for him care as nearly as possible equivalent to that which should have been given him by them.  The child welfare policy of this state is what is in the best interests of the child.

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(L. 1957 p. 642 § 211.010, A.L. 1995 H.B. 232 & 485 merged with S.B. 174)

(1968) Procedure of juvenile court which resulted in commitment to state training school did not violate constitutional protection as set forth by U.S. Supreme Court in the case of application of Gault. Ex parte de Grace (A.), 425 S.W.2d 228.

(1972) Missouri's Juvenile Act is rooted in the concept of parens patriae and the functions of a juvenile officer and a prosecuting attorney are so inherently conflicting that proper administration of the Juvenile Act does not allow these functions to be exercised by a person holding both offices. Thus, juvenile court, located in county in judicial circuit comprised only of counties of the third class, was without jurisdiction to proceed on petition filed by such juvenile officer. In re F_______ C_______(A.), 484 S.W.2d 21.

(1977) Jurisdiction of divorce or dissolution of marriage remains in circuit court where it was filed but jurisdictions of cause as it relates to child custody may in some instances be superseded by juvenile court. Ex parte J.A.P. (A.), 546 S.W.2d 806.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 110 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 1958–2023 · leading case: Matter of Trapp, 593 S.W.2d 193 (Mo. 1980).
Matter of Trapp, 593 S.W.2d 193 (Mo. 1980). · cites it 8× “" § 211.011, RSMo 1978. "[T]he many diverse circumstances which give rise to a finding of neglect must be considered when the standards embodied in [the statute] are viewed in the light of the due process clause.”
State Ex Rel. Arbeiter v. Reagan, 427 S.W.2d 371 (Mo. 1968). · cites it 12× “No child shall be charged with a crime or convicted unless the case is transferred to a court of general jurisdiction as provided in sections 211.011 to 211.431. 3. Evidence given in cases under sections 211.”
State v. Richardson, 495 S.W.2d 435 (Mo. 1973). · cites it 10× “On October 12, 1970, the State filed a motion in Juvenile Court seeking to prosecute defendant under the general law on the basis that he was not a proper subject for disposition under §§ 211.”
In the Interest of C. L. M., 625 S.W.2d 613 (Mo. 1981). · cites it 4× “If, as here, a parent’s inability to provide child care is established, it requires little more to find that the considerable needs of an 18 month old infant are being left unattended.”
State v. Bills, 495 S.W.2d 722 (Mo. Ct. App. 1973). · cites it 15× “071 which prescribes the waiver *727 procedure and § 211.011 which declares the purpose of the juvenile law, are expressed in terms of common understanding, and that when construed together an explicit statutory standard for waiver appears: A child may be determined by the…”
In Interest of J________ Y________, 637 S.W.2d 670 (Mo. 1982). · cites it 4× “§ 211.011 RSMo (1978). The evidence shows the environment from which the Bilyeu children were removed was injurious to their welfare.”
State v. Woodworth, 941 S.W.2d 679 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 3× “The Juvenile Code exists for the benefit of children, see § 211.011, 9 and defines a “child” as “a person under seventeen years of age.”
State v. Wright, 515 S.W.2d 421 (Mo. 1974). · cites it 4× “Evidence given in cases under sections 211.011 to 211.431 is not lawful or proper evidence against the child for any purpose whatever in a civil, criminal or other proceeding except in subsequent cases under sections 211.”
Mashak v. Poelker, 367 S.W.2d 625 (Mo. 1963). · cites it 7× “431, “shall be liberaly construed” to the end that the child “shall receive such care, guidance and control, * * * as will conduce to the child’s welfare and the best interests of the state * * Section 211.031 among other things provides that the juvenile court shall have…”
Coney v. State, 491 S.W.2d 501 (Mo. 1973). · cites it 5× “It vests in the juvenile judge a discretion, after receiving the investigation report and hearing evidence, to determine whether the juvenile before him is a proper subject to be dealt with under the juvenile code under which, by the provisions of § 211.011, RSMo 1969, he would…”
State v. Goff, 449 S.W.2d 591 (Mo. 1970). · cites it 6× “071 insofar as pertinent provides that in "the discretion of the judge of the juvenile court, when any petition under sections 211.011 to 211.431 alleges that a child of the age of fourteen years or older has committed an offense which would be a felony if committed by an adult,…”
In the Matter of the Adoption of E.n.c., Minor, 458 S.W.3d 387 (Mo. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “177; Section 211.011. However, this adoption case, filed under Chapter 453, does not fit within the parameters of either Chapter 452’s dissolution of marriage context or that of Chapter 211’s custody determination when a child has been removed from her parents arid is within the…”
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