Mo. Rev. Stat. § 533.110
Current with changes from the 2023 Legislative Session
If the plaintiff fail to prosecute his action with effect and without delay, and shall have the property in his possession, and the defendant in his answer claims the same and demands a return thereof, the court or a jury may assess the value of the property taken, and the damages for taking and detaining the same for the time such property was taken or detained from defendant until the day of the trial of the cause.
§ 533.110, RSMo
RSMo 1939 § 1798