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Supreme Court Rules



Section/Rule:
111.01

Subject:
Rule 111 - Rules of Practice and Procedure in Juvenile and Family Court Divisions of The Circuit Court - Part I. Rules Relating to all Juvenile Proceedings - Preliminary Inquiry
Publication / Adopted Date:
May 20, 2009

Topic:
Preliminary Inquiry
Revised / Effective Date:
March 1, 2020

111.01 PRELIMINARY INQUIRY
a. Information that could bring a juvenile within the jurisdiction of the court shall be referred to the juvenile officer. Such information, including the name and address of the informant, shall be in writing and, unless impracticable, signed by the informant.
b. The juvenile officer shall make a preliminary inquiry and, if it appears to the juvenile officer that the juvenile is within the jurisdiction of the court, the juvenile officer shall either:
(1) make an informal adjustment pursuant to Rule 112; or c. If it does not appear to the juvenile officer that the information could bring the juvenile within the jurisdiction of the court, the juvenile officer, if practicable, shall so notify the informant.
Comment
Under this Rule 111.01, it is not necessary that a judicial officer approve the filing of a petition. See Rule 113.01.
Under the juvenile code, only the juvenile officer may file a petition. State v. Taylor, 323 S.W.2d 534 (Mo. App. 1959).This Rule 111.01 is not intended to modify the decision in Taylor.