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Relocation in a Border City

Since the Kansas City metro area is located on the state line between Missouri and Kansas, it is not uncommon for a parent to move from Missouri to Kansas or from Kansas to Missouri. This crossing of state lines can raise additional questions and issues for divorced or divorcing parents with minor children in the home. Regardless of whether or not state lines are crossed, a parent who wants to relocate the children’s home has to comply with certain statutory requirements. In Missouri, you must send the other parent notice of the intended relocation by certified mail at least [...]

2020-10-20T15:03:46+00:00October 20th, 2020|Categories: Child Custody, Child Support|

College Expenses after Divorce

Figuring out how to pay for your children’s college education is an intimidating process, and it can be even further complicated if you are divorced or are going through a divorce. Do the parents have any responsibility to pay college tuition and expenses? Does child support continue when the children go off to college, and if so, how is it affected? The answers to these common questions depend on which state has jurisdiction of the divorce. In Kansas, parents are not required to pay child support after the child turns 18 and graduates high school, even if the child [...]

2020-05-05T14:56:19+00:00May 5th, 2020|Categories: Child Support|

Family Law in the Time of Coronavirus

The current COVID-19 pandemic, along with the restrictions that go along with it, has complicated virtually every aspect of our society, including the courts and how we practice family law. Unfortunately, family conflict does not go away during difficult times. On the contrary, issues within the family are likely to be exacerbated due to families being forced to occupy the same space for long periods of time under the shelter-at-home restrictions. Although most law firms in Kansas City are not physically open to clients or staff, domestic lawyers are continuing to work remotely to assist their clients with ongoing [...]

2020-04-09T15:20:26+00:00April 9th, 2020|Categories: Divorce|

Custody of Family Pets

While there are clear procedures in place for custody of children and division of property post-divorce, the law offers little guidance on an issue often of great importance to divorcing couples: the family pet.  Traditionally, the law recognizes a family dog or cat as nothing more than property to be divided along with the couches, TV’s, and other household goods.  The law falls short of reality in this situation, as many people love their pets as bona fide family members. While pets are traditionally viewed as property in the eyes of the law, some courts and states are beginning [...]

2020-01-24T15:54:33+00:00January 24th, 2020|Categories: Divorce|

Holiday Parenting Time

As the holidays approach, many parents in the process of divorce may be concerned about how a time of year centered on family will be handled now that the family is changing. While it is natural to want to have your children with you for every holiday every year, it is important for children to get to spend holiday time with each of their parents when their parents are no longer together. The parenting plan that you will prepare with your divorce attorney will have a parenting time schedule, which will include a specific schedule for all major holidays. [...]

2019-12-17T22:43:02+00:00December 17th, 2019|Categories: Child Custody|

Grandparent Visitation

Child custody and parenting time issues can be complex and emotional for parents. But parents aren’t always the only parties involved in child custody and visitation disputes. In some situations, grandparents may be denied the chance to see their grandchildren or may even want to obtain custody of their grandchildren. In both Missouri and Kansas, there are legal options, albeit limited, that can be pursued for grandparents who find themselves in these situations. In Missouri, grandparents can file for visitation with their grandchildren during or after a divorce or after the death of a parent. However, an award of [...]

2019-11-05T17:05:54+00:00November 5th, 2019|Categories: Child Custody|

Navigating New Relationships after Divorce When Children Are Involved

For divorced or never married parents who are no longer together, there will likely come a time when one or both parents choose to introduce the children to a new dating partner. It is also common for one or both parents to remarry, adding stepparents to an already complicated co-parenting situation. While most parents make good decisions regarding who they bring around their children, it is not uncommon for a parent to be concerned about the impact the other parent’s relationships are having on the children. Sometimes, the concern is that multiple dating partners are abruptly entering and exiting [...]

2019-10-10T16:48:13+00:00October 10th, 2019|Categories: Child Custody|

Calculating Child Support in Missouri

Child support is a significant issue in most divorces where children are involved, as well as in parentage actions where the parents have never been married. The general rule is that the parent who has the minor children the majority of the time is entitled to receive child support from the other parent. When the parents share custody equally, generally the party who makes more money owes child support to the other parent in order to ensure a more consistent standard of living for the minor children in each parent’s household. In Missouri, the Supreme Court has adopted a [...]

2019-10-10T16:27:35+00:00September 9th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|

Relocation of a Minor Child under Missouri Law

Once the Court has entered a custody order in a prior divorce or other custody action, neither party can relocate with the minor child without notifying the other parent at least 60 days in advance of the relocation. The written notice must be sent via certified mail and must include the following information: The intended new residence with the specific address and mailing address. If the address is not known, the city the parent intends to relocate to; The home telephone number of the new residence, if known; Statement of specific reasons for the proposed relocation of the child; [...]

2019-10-10T16:28:00+00:00August 20th, 2019|Categories: Child Custody|

Maintenance (Alimony) in Missouri

In an action for dissolution of marriage or legal separation, the Court may grant maintenance (also commonly known as alimony or spousal support) to either spouse in order to assist that spouse in meeting his or her living expenses. The Court can only grant maintenance if it first finds that the spouse seeking maintenance is unable to meet his or her own reasonable needs, either through property or appropriate employment. If the spouse seeking maintenance meets this threshold, the Court then considers a list of factors, including the financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, the comparative earning capacity [...]

2019-10-10T16:28:23+00:00July 8th, 2019|Categories: Spousal Maintenance|
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