Family Law

Published in Family Law on June 5, 2017

Many grandparents want to know what legal rights that they have to see their grandchildren. In many families, these questions come up in a divorce, the separation of unmarried couple or the death of one of the parents of the grandchild.  Missouri law does provide some protection for a grandparent in these situations.  Missouri provides for four instances when a… READ MORE

Published in Family Law on January 20, 2017

Child support for special needs children can extend beyond the age of 21. Under Missouri law there are three requirements that must be established in order for a special needs child to be entitled to support past the age of 21.   First, the child must be physically or mentally incapacitated from supporting himself or herself.  Second, the child must be… READ MORE

Published in Family Law on December 16, 2016

Parents involved in a contested custody case frequently ask what age a child must be before the child can decide where he or she wants to live. The answer to this question is that a child cannot make that decision.  When a child becomes an adult at age 18, then he or she can make their own decision about where… READ MORE

Published in Family Law on October 28, 2016

Custody has two parts: physical custody and legal custody. The term “physical custody” is the party of custody that parents most easily understand.  Physical custody is concerned with the period of time which the child resides with or is under the care or supervision of a parent. The term “legal custody” is concerned with who has the decision-making rights, responsibilities… READ MORE

Published in Family Law on March 3, 2016

  The Equal Custody Law Myth Many people have heard that Missouri has passed an “equal custody” statute. But, is that really true?  We need to separate the fact from the fiction about this new legislation. What many Missourians do not realize is that the language that actually became law is not the same language that they may have heard… READ MORE