Kansas City, Missouri Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys

Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys in Kansas City, MO in Jackson County

Going through a divorce can be one of the hardest times of your life, but at Stange Law Firm, PC, we strive to make the process easier for our clients. Our divorce attorneys are dedicated to representing you every step of the way in your divorce in the Kansas City Area. Your divorce attorney at Stange Law Firm, PC will help put your mind at ease and help you understand your rights throughout the process.

We have an office conveniently located in the heart of Downtown Kansas City, Missouri to better assist the residents of the Kansas City metro area.

When you retain our firm, our divorce lawyers will diligently work for your interests and deal with anything else that is included in the divorce process, including child custody and child support if children are involved. We represent clients with almost any divorce needs in Kansas City, Missouri, and the surrounding areas.

We also give clients 24/7 access to their files online. We also endeavor to return all client phones left before 5 p.m. the same business day. We also endeavor to write monthly status letters to keep clients updated about their cases. We do this because we understand the importance of ensuring that you are informed about the process and case strategy.

Representing Clients in Divorce Matters in Kansas City, MO

At Stange Law Firm, PC we only represent clients in domestic relations matters, including divorce, using the care, knowledge, and skill in this field to represent you in your divorce. We have limited our practice exclusively to divorce and domestic relations law because we know the importance of families, We want to make sure our attorneys and legal staff are solely focused on helping individuals through their family matters.

To better assist you, you can find out more about the Kansas City Family Courts, and gain other valuable information about divorce and the courts in the area, by visiting the following links:

• Jackson County Circuit Clerk’s Office: View the Jackson County Circuit Clerk office information here.
• Jackson County Family Court Rules: Click to see the Jackson County family court rules and regulations here.
• Map to Jackson County Courthouse: Google Map directions to the Jackson County courthouse here.
• Jackson County Divorce Law Forms: Click to view the Jackson County divorce law forms.
• Missouri Child Support Estimate: Are you wishing you knew what the estimated cost was going to be for your child support payments in Missouri? Click here to use the calculator provided.

These links can give you valuable information about divorce and domestic relations in the Kansas City area in Jackson County. Of course, it is still vital to speak with an attorney about your situation if you are seeking legal advice and/or representation about your matter.

By visiting our attorney’s biographies, you will see that many of our attorneys have been recognized for awards and accolades in the fields of divorce and domestic relations. For example, Kirk Stange has been named a Super Lawyers Honoree since 2015 and has been named to The POWER List by Missouri Lawyers Media since 2020.

For your information, you can read articles about divorce law, view informational videos and seminar videos, listen to our podcast, download our mobile application, or view the support calculator for Missouri on our web page.

Handling All Aspects of Divorce and Related Matters in the Kansas City Area in Jackson County

As your full-service divorce law firm in Kansas City, Missouri, we can advise and fight for you on all issues that may arise during the divorce process. We also have other important information on domestic relations that you find helpful, including pages on:

• High net worth divorce in Kansas City, MO: Protecting your assets in your high net worth divorce in Kansas City, MO is important. Our lawyers can help.
• Kansas City, Missouri uncontested divorce: Our law firm can assist in your uncontested divorce in Kansas City.
• Kansas City, MO contested divorce in Lee’s Summit: Information regarding contested divorce in Kansas City, MO.
• Kansas City, MO divorce lawyers: Our Kansas City, Missouri divorce lawyers can help.
• Kansas City, Missouri child custody and visitation attorneys: The attorneys at our firm can assist in your child custody and visitation issues in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Kansas City, Missouri child support lawyers: The attorneys at Stange Law Firm, PC would be happy to help individuals like you with your child support matter in Kansas City, MO.
• Kansas City, Missouri domestic relations lawyers: We offer compassionate attorneys in Kansas City and the surrounding areas.
• Spousal maintenance and alimony in Kansas City, MO: We represent clients in Kansas City, MO with their spousal maintenance and alimony issues.
• Division of property and debts in Kansas City, MO: The lawyers at Stange Law Firm, PC can help with the division of property and debts in Kansas City.
• Kansas City, MO dissolution of same-sex marriages: We represent clients in their dissolution of same-sex marriages in Kansas City, Missouri.

These pages represent a lot of the areas of domestic relations law in which we represent clients through the Kansas City Area in Jackson County in and around Lee’s Summit. However, if you have a case in a similar area as those listed above, you can contact us to see if we might be able to represent you in your matter.

COMMON DIVORCE QUESTIONS IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Grounds for Divorce in Kansas City, MO

Parties in Missouri can get divorced when there are irreconcilable differences and there is no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved. It is not necessary to show fault in Missouri to get divorced, but fault can impact property and debt division and spousal maintenance.

Residency Requirements in Kansas City, Missouri

If you are going to get divorced in the State of Missouri, either you or your wife (or both of you) must be a resident in the State of Missouri and must have lived in the state for at least 90 days, before the filing of the Petition. This action should be filed in the county where the petitioner resides. Whoever is filing for divorce should generally do so in the county in which they live. In some cases, a motion for a change of venue is a possibility.

Name of the Court and Title of the Action/Parties in Kansas City

Here are a few key names for you to make note of. First is the Circuit Court, where the petition for the divorce is filed. The first action is called a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. The final action is called the Decree or Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. Depending on which party is filing the divorce, you are either called the Petitioner (the party filing for divorce) or the Respondent (the one who gets served).

Legal Separation in Kansas City, Missouri

Deciding to file for a divorce is difficult for many parties. For those individuals who may not yet be ready to take that big next step, there is another option for you. Missouri divorce laws state that parties may file for a legal separation when there is a reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved. Many of the guidelines remain the same, in regard to things like spousal maintenance, division of property, child support, etc. One or both of the parties must have resided within the State of Missouri for at least 90 days before filing this petition. It would help if you considered all options and factors before making any legally binding decisions when it comes to legal separation and dissolution because a legal separation can be converted into a divorce.

Spousal Maintenance in Kansas City

According to Missouri divorce laws, the court may grant spousal maintenance to either party. This depends on a finding that the party that is seeking spousal maintenance is not able to support themselves and lacks sufficient property to provide for their own needs; or that the party that is seeking spousal maintenance is the guardian of a child whose condition is such that it would be inappropriate for that party to seek outside employment.

The court will take in and consider the following factors in ruling on the amount of spousal maintenance to be compensated:

• The time necessary for the spouse seeking support to acquire sufficient education or training
• The comparative earning capacity of each spouse
• The standard of living established during the marriage
• The obligations and assets of the marriage, both separate and marital
• The duration of the marriage
• The age, physical, and mental condition of the spouse seeking support
• The ability of the supporting spouse to meet both his needs and the needs of the spouse seeking support
• The conduct of the parties during the marriage
• Any other relevant factors

The order establishing spousal maintenance must also state whether the award is modifiable or non-modifiable. If the award is modifiable, the court may modify the award only upon a showing that the circumstances have changed so considerably as to make the terms unreasonable.

Distribution of Property in Kansas City, Missouri

Missouri divorce laws call for an equitable distribution of assets. This means that the court will divide the marital property between the parties as it deems equitable and fair, after setting aside each party’s separate property. This essentially means that you get to keep what belongs to you (property you owned before the marriage) and all shared property (property you owned during the marriage) will be divided equally between you and your ex-spouse. The court will consider the following factors in dividing the property between the parties:

• The economic circumstances of the parties at the time of the division of property
• The contribution of each spouse to the marital estate
• The value of the non-marital property set apart to each spouse
• The conduct of the parties during the marriage
• Custodial arrangements for minor children

Child Custody in Kansas City

Missouri courts will determine the issue of child custody based on the best interests of the child. A partial list of aspects that the court will consider in determining the best interests of the child include:

• The wishes of the parents, the need of the child for a frequent and meaningful relationship with both parents
• The interaction and interrelationship of the child with both the parents and any siblings
• The wishes of the child

Prior to awarding custody, the court shall first consider awarding joint physical and legal custody to both parents. Suppose the court decides that joint physical and legal custody awarded to both parents is not in the best interests of the child. In that case, the court shall next consider joint physical custody, with one party being awarded sole legal custody. If that arrangement is also found to not be in the best interests of the child, the court shall next consider joint legal custody with one party granted sole physical custody. If that arrangement is not in the best interests of the child, the court would next consider sole custody to either parent or a third-party custody arrangement.

There will be no preference given to either party based upon the parent’s age, sex, or financial status, nor because of the age or sex of the child, in determining custody.

When custody of a child is at issue in a proceeding for divorce, the court shall order the parents to attend educational classes regarding the effects of custody and dissolution of marriage upon the children. The court may also order the parents to attend an alternative dispute resolution program to resolve any disputes regarding issues of custody or visitation.

Child Support in Kansas City, Missouri

As with every other domestic law issue, the court will determine the matter of child support. The court may order either or both parties to pay an equitable amount necessary to support their child or children. Under Supreme Court Rule 88.01 and Form 14, some of the factors the court will take into consideration while determining the amount of child support include:

• The financial needs and resources of the child
• The financial resources and needs of the parents
• The standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the marriage not terminated
• The child’s physical and legal custody arrangements

Legally, your liability to pay child support shall end upon the death of the child, the marriage of the child, the child entering active duty in the military, the child becoming self-sufficient, the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age, or, if the child is enrolled in a secondary school program of education, when the child reaches the age of twenty-one (21) years of age.

You may also be required to provide health insurance for your child. In addition, if you were already paying for health insurance for your children and spouse before the divorce, you are obligated to continue paying for it from the time of filing until the divorce is final (meaning you cannot cancel health insurance for your children and spouse during the divorce proceedings).

Name Change in Kansas City, Missouri

A spouse may request a name change back to their former or maiden name. This request may be granted by the court upon the divorce.

Contact Kansas City, Missouri Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys from our office in Jackson County

If you are thinking about hiring a divorce attorney in the Kansas City area or nearby, our attorneys will be delighted to help. You can call us or contact our law firm online.