Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Aug 18, 2021
IN RE THE NAME CHANGE OF E.C.D. KRISTIN DAWN MASTERS, Movant-Appellant vs. CULLEN BRENT DACE, Respondent-Respondent
Mother sought to change her child's surname in Missouri, asserting the child resided in Stoddard County and wished to share Mother's surname due to alleged abuse by Father. The trial court dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction, noting an active modification case and a prior Illinois judgment that explicitly prohibited changing the child's surname without court approval. The appellate court affirmed, holding that the Missouri court lacked statutory authority to grant the name change given the standing Illinois judgment and pending Illinois custody proceedings.