472.030 Powers of court — executions, when returnable — service of process.

472.030. Powers of court — executions, when returnable — service of process. — The probate division of the circuit court has the same legal and equitable powers to effectuate and to enforce its orders, judgments and decrees in probate matters as circuit judges have in other matters and its executions shall be governed by chapter 513 and the applicable supreme court rule, except that all executions shall be returnable within thirty days unless otherwise ordered by the court. All process of the court may be served anywhere within the territorial limits of the state.

(L. 1955 p. 385 § 4, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1980 S.B. 637) Effective 1-01-81 (1961) This section is not a grant to probate courts of jurisdiction in purely equitable matters. Whatever equitable powers a probate court may exercise by virtue of this section must be employed in the discharge of its jurisdiction in probate matters. Stark v. Moffit (A.), 352 S.W.2d 165. (1964) Where deceased, collecting agent of gas company, wrongfully deposited collections in his personal account, deposit created trust fund for benefit of gas company and the tracing of collections into the bank account was a proper exercise of equitable powers by the probate court. In re Meyers' Estate (Mo.), 376 S.W.2d 219. (1987) Order granting special notice of probate hearings to interested person pursuant to this section was not subject to interlocutory appeal. Cordes v. Caldwell, 731 S.W.2d 463 (Mo.App.)