Divorce Law in Kansas City, MO
Divorce Law refers to the legal termination of a marriage and often involves working through several complicated issues.
Are you facing a costly divorce in Kansas City, Missouri? Does your estranged spouse have an attorney? Usually, couples going through a divorce are unable to compromise on most items and reach an agreement on their own. Thus, many couples go through mediation or the court system to resolve their case.
Issues Involved in Kansas City, Missouri Divorce Law
There are many complicated issues that you need to settle during the divorce process. Many of these elicit strong emotions from one party or the other, resulting in volatility.
Dividing Property
One of the most challenging issues in the divorce law process is dividing property, debts and assets. In many states, like Missouri, anything you and your spouse purchased over your marriage is subject to division. This includes things such as real estate, bank accounts, cars, stocks, etc. Some states split marital property evenly, while others go along an equitable split. In the latter, the judge weighs the contribution each spouse made to the marriage and uses that information to decide the disposition property, which may not equate to a perfect 50/50 division of your property, debt, and other assets..
Child Support
Both parents share the responsibility of providing for their children’s care. Child support guidelines determine each parent’s financial contribution based on their income and the time they spend with the children. These payments cover essential expenses such as healthcare, food, clothing, and other basic needs.
Child support in Kansas City is determined using Missouri’s Income Shares Model. This model helps ensure the child receives the same proportion of parental income they would have received if the household had remained intact. Child support in Kansas City can be paid by mail or online through the Missouri Department of Social Services.
Missouri’s Child Support Enforcement can enforce payment in a variety of ways including driver’s license suspension, tax refund intercept, and income withholding. Additionally, the delinquent parent may be charged with civil contempt or criminal nonsupport, which may result in fines and jail.
Alimony
Alimony, or spousal support, can vary dramatically depending on the marriage, and Kansas City, MO divorce law court looks at multiple factors when determining the amount and length of alimony, including:
- A spouse’s need and the other spouse’s ability to pay
- The age and health of each spouse
- The length of the marriage
- Each spouse’s earning capacity and level of education
- The division of property
- Parental responsibility of the children
- Sole investments and assets of either spouse
Missouri Statutes allows for the judge to grant temporary, short-term, or permanent spousal maintenance in Kansas City divorce cases. Temporary maintenance can be awarded during the divorce proceedings and before the final decree. Short-term or rehabilitative maintenance can be awarded to help one spouse become self-supporting. Permanent maintenance is rare but can be awarded to a spouse with significant need. It can either be assigned for life or until retirement age.
Child Custody and Visitation
Child custody is perhaps the most emotional issue during a divorce that involves children. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the court bases all decisions on what is in the best interest of the child. Keeping this in mind may help navigate the rough waters of custody.
The court will use the criteria outlined in the Missouri Statutes to determine custody in Kansas City divorce cases. The factors considered include the child’s wishes and the needs of the child for a meaningful relationship with each parent. Additionally, the child’s adjustment to home, school, and community, as well as any history of domestic violence will be deemed relevant. The fact that a parent sends the child to a home school shall not be the sole factor that the court considers.
Generally, Kansas City, Missouri courts award joint legal custody giving both parents the legal right to make decisions for the children, such as education, medical care and religious practices. Legal custody has nothing to do with physical custody or visitation. Joint custody does not mean both parents split time with the child evenly, just as Sole legal custody does not bar the non-custodial parent from visiting the child.
The Process of Going Through Divorce Law in Kansas City, Missouri
Are you leaning towards getting a divorce from your partner? If so, it is important to understand the necessary steps of the divorce law process.
Step 1: File the Divorce Law Petition
The divorce law process begins when one spouse files a legal petition to terminate the marriage. The petition must include:
- A legal reason for divorce (grounds for divorce)
- A statement that shows at least one spouse meets the state’s residency requirements for divorce
- Other statutory information your state requires
Most states offer the option for filing a no-fault divorce, which does not require a legal reason for the divorce.
You can obtain a no-fault divorce in Kansas City if the marriage is declared to be “irretrievably broken.”
Step 2: Request Temporary Orders
The divorce law process in Kansas City can take several months, but temporary orders can be requested and approved for a multitude of reasons, including:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Spousal support
- Property restraining orders
- Status quo orders
Request temporary orders as quickly as possible so you are not absent the resources or protection that you need.
Step 3: Serve Your Spouse and Wait for Their Response
If you are the one who files a divorce petition, you must have your spouse served with their divorce law papers and then file a proof of service with the courts. If your spouse accepts the service, then they need to fill out an affidavit to that effect. However, in many cases, the petitioner must hire a process server or sheriff to formally serve the petition on the other spouse. It is this third party who then records the proof of service.
Step 4: Try To Come to an Agreement
The best outcome for anyone going through this process is to have an uncontested divorce, meaning both spouses agree on all issues.
This can be reached between both partners or with the help of a mediator. Not only will this save each spouse money, but there will typically be a lot less animosity.
Step 5: Go To Court
If you and your spouse are unable to reach an agreement, then the case continues before a Kansas City, MO judge. While there is some benefit to having a judge hand down orders, it may also be a detriment as there is little to no control of the agreement by the parties.
In Missouri, the Family Court handles divorce proceedings. So, if you live in Kansas City, you will typically file for divorce with the Family Court of the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County.
Step 6: Receive the Judgement of Divorce
The divorce law trial will end with the official judgment of divorce, ending the marriage. This final dissolution of marriage sets out the details about property and debt division, child custody and all relevant issues between the couple.
Work With an Experienced Kansas City, Missouri Divorce Law Attorney
If you are going through a divorce and are unable to reach an agreement with your partner, you should hire an experienced Kansas City divorce law attorney. A lawyer will fight for you and make sure you get what is yours. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Missouri state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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