Family Law
Same-sex divorce: An overview
When the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal everywhere in 2015, same-sex divorce was already a fact of life in most of the country. But, almost seven years later, divorcing for LGBTQ+ couples continues to be a complicated endeavor. Many of the difficult issues stem from the fact that many of the relationships began […]
What You Need to Know About Grandparents’ Rights
The bond between a grandparent and a child can be strong, particularly if the grandparent has been a primary caregiver. But that connection does not necessarily bestow any legal rights for visitation should family situations change. It is important to realize that laws regarding visitation vary from state to state, and courts have wide leeway […]
A Major Step: How To Adopt Your Stepchild
For blended families, adoption of a stepchild can be a wonderful way to strengthen the bonds between stepparent and stepchild, while adding legal certainty concerning major life events like medical care, schooling, or the death of the natural parent. If you are considering adopting a stepchild, know that the law makes such adoptions easier than […]
Is An Annulment Right For You?
If you are considering pursuing the civil annulment of your marriage, the first thing you should understand is that they are relatively rare and for good reason: Annulments are only obtainable under specific conditions that must be affirmed by a court. But, if those conditions are met, annulments offer some advantages to traditional divorce. So, […]
How To Choose A Family Law Attorney
Family law is in many ways unlike many other areas of law. Like most areas of law, issues of right and wrong and of course asset-related concerns are part of family law. But the emotional aspects of family law and the often-times involvement of children in family law matters creates an emotional factor not often […]
Wishing Our Clients a Wonderful Holiday Season and a 2022 Filled with Peace and Joy
Without a doubt, 2020 and 2021 have been tumultuous, tragic, and historic years. It is safe to say nearly everyone has been touched by the pandemic and/or the social, economic, and political shock waves associated with it. So we believe it is especially important for our firm to take a moment to thank each of […]
Holidays Bring Joy – and Stress: These Five Tips Can Help
With shopping, hosting events, juggling the needs of work, children and more, it’s no surprise that the holiday season brings more than its share of stress in addition to the joys of the holidays. That’s in part because holidays often bring together family members who rarely see one another and when they do, don’t often […]
School & Office Re-Openings Can Mean It’s Time To Consider A Custody Modification
As many schools re-open and offices and other businesses begin bringing employees back onsite, custody arrangements for divorced parents may need a second look. Fortunately, existing custody plans can be modified and re-established by family courts. However, successfully seeking a court-ordered modification to an existing plan that had worked for a period of time does […]
What You Need To Know About Legal Separation In Missouri
While divorce in the U.S. was once rare and carried a negative stigma, it has become increasingly common. From 1960 to 1980 the U.S. divorce rate more than doubled, going from 9.2 divorces per 1,000 women to 22.6 per 1,000 women. This was likely due in part to cultural and societal changes in the U.S., […]
Which Aspects Of A Divorce Affect Child Custody In Missouri?
Divorce is tragic, especially when children are involved. Their lives are upended, they often face undue stress, find themselves in the middle between parents who are at odds and deal with constant uncertainty. For many children, questions like “Where will I live?”, “Where will I go to school?”, “Will I get to see both of […]
