Reliable St. Charles Alimony Attorney
In many divorce proceedings, spousal support is a major focal point. This is particularly true when one spouse has been a stay-at-home parent and has not worked in recent years. While there are no set guidelines or requirements for spousal support in Missouri, that doesn't mean that spouses are not entitled to seek it. It only means that a compelling case needs to be made no matter what side you are on in a maintenance case.
Be sure that you have an experienced lawyer on your side who understands the law and will fight to protect your interests. At Stange Law Firm LLC, we represent clients throughout the Greater St. Louis area in all types of spousal support matters. No matter which side of the case you are on, we are committed to doing everything in our power to secure the most favorable possible result on your behalf.
Building the Strongest Possible Case to Support Your Position
Spousal support, sometimes referred to as spousal maintenance or alimony, is not automatic in Missouri. The court has broad discretion to award maintenance or not award it. If the court awards maintenance, in Missouri, limited duration maintenance is almost never awarded unless the court can point to a fixed date where maintenance is not needed. This means that in most instances, the court can either award maintenance in an open-ended manner terminable upon death, remarriage or a change of circumstance of a substantial and continuing nature or else not award it at all. This can make maintenance an all or nothing proposition at trial.
Parties can agree to contractual maintenance on a fixed term, but fixed terms are not likely in Missouri, absent an agreement, unless the court can point to a future, non-speculative date where maintenance is no longer needed. The issue of whether "cohabitation" terminates maintenance is complex, not automatic and based on numerous factors.
When you hire our firm, we will present the strongest possible case for or against an alimony award based on your best interests. In many cases, we will examine whether a vocational examination would be helpful to your case.
The court looks at several factors when considering spousal support, including:
- The need of one spouse versus the other spouse's ability to pay
- The earning capacity of each spouse
- The length of the marriage
- The age and health of the spouse seeking support
- The impact on the children
- The conduct of the parties during the marriage
In most cases, spousal support can be modified if there is a substantial change in circumstances for either spouse. Our attorneys are prepared to help you if the need for a spousal support modification arises. If you have already received an adverse spousal support order, Stange Law Firm can represent you in the filing of an appeal.
Contact a St. Louis Spousal Support Attorney
Contact us online or by phone to schedule a free and confidential hour consultation at any of our convenient locations throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, and Belleville, Illinois.
Saint Louis County Office: 314-219-1865 Click to learn more about this location.
Jefferson County (Arnold) Office: 636-333-0396 Click to learn more about this location.
St. Charles Office: 636-940-5900 Click to learn more about this location.
Belleville Office: 618-505-4643 Click to learn more about this location
Saint Louis City Office: 314-499-8340 Click to learn more about this location.
