Missouri Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Missouri that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Missouri court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Missouri court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Missouri court ordered it?
Missouri doesn't have a statewide statute requiring a certified anger-management class for domestic-assault convictions. The offense statute, RSMo 565.076 (domestic assault, fourth degree), sets the offense class rather than a program, so any counseling or program requirement comes from the judge's own sentencing or probation order and varies from case to case.
On the civil side, RSMo 455.050 allows a full or ex parte order of protection to direct a respondent into a court-approved counseling program for batterers or a substance abuse treatment program. Full orders last at least 180 days and up to one year, or longer on findings of serious danger (RSMo 455.040). Orders differ, so confirm exactly what your own order requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Missouri included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Missouri court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Missouri-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Missouri civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Child custody: best-interest factorsRSMo 452.375
Custody follows the child's best interests, with a rebuttable presumption favoring equal or approximately equal parenting time. A pattern of domestic violence can rebut that presumption, and the court must then make written findings on how the arrangement best protects the child and the victim.
Orders of protection: relief availableRSMo 455.050
A full or ex parte order can bar abuse, stalking, threats and contact, and after a hearing can address custody, support, housing and pets. The respondent may also be ordered into a court-approved counseling program for batterers or substance abuse treatment.
Orders of protection: hearings, duration and renewalRSMo 455.040
A full order lasts at least 180 days and not more than one year, or two to ten years if the court finds the respondent poses a serious danger. Orders can be renewed on the petitioner's motion.
Criminal law
Domestic assault, fourth degreeRSMo 565.076
Attempting to cause or recklessly causing injury or pain to a domestic victim, placing the victim in fear of immediate injury, or similar listed conduct is a Class A misdemeanor, and a Class E felony after two or more prior qualifying findings.
Stalking, first degreeRSMo 565.225
Purposely disturbing a person through a course of conduct, plus an aggravating factor such as a threat meant to cause reasonable fear or violating an order of protection, is a Class E felony, with higher classes in some circumstances.
Violation of an order of protectionRSMo 455.085
Violating the terms of an ex parte or full order of protection, with notice of the order, is a Class A misdemeanor, and a Class E felony if the person had a qualifying violation within the prior five years.