Multi-State Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

Statistics show that about forty percent of children in America are born out-of-wedlock. These children still have a right to have their father involved in their lives. Unmarried fathers, however, are often unsure what steps they need to take to establish custody and visitation rights to their children. Unmarried fathers in Missouri need to file a paternity action to ensure their custody rights are protected. Merely being listed on a child’s birth certificate does not grant a father enforceable custody rights. Why should Missouri fathers establish paternity? It is valuable for fathers to establish paternity for several reasons. First and

Divorce is rarely easy for anyone, but matters are further complicated when children are involved. Even in the most amicable of divorces, children suddenly find themselves adjusting to new homes, new neighborhoods, new visitation arrangements , and sometimes even new schools.While moving on with life after divorce or separation can be difficult for anyone, there are ways to ease the adjustment for the children. Instead of using child visitation as a chance to get back at your ex-spouse – by making it difficult for him or her to actually see the kids – look at it as an opportunity to

A custody evaluation is conducted by a qualified mental health professional with the right training and experience. There are two most common types of custody evaluators. Those are psychologists and psychiatrists. Psychologists are more commonly used. Much the same as the importance of knowing your expert when hiring for a business evaluation the same is absolutely true of hiring a custody evaluator. So first off, know the curriculum vitae of the evaluator/expert witness. For instance, some M.D’s in psychiatry who spent four years of medical school and five years of residency may have had no experience with children whatsoever. Meanwhile,

In divorce, determining child custody is one of the most important battles you will ever face. It trumps financial decisions, because it is about spending time with your children–time that once gone, cannot be regained. And this consideration will have a profound effect on your children’s lives. Child custody is allocated in two delineations, physical and legal custody. While physical custody refers to where the child will reside, legal custody pertains to who will make decisions regarding health, education, religion, extracurricular activities and other major determinations on behalf of the child. Physical and legal custody will be awarded to one

Most parents treasure their children and want the absolute best for them in the future. When parents are in the process of divorcing, the issue of child custody may be one of particular concern and anxiety. Sensitive child custody issues also arise in situations where the parents have never been married and are working to establish custody and visitation. The Legal Standards When deciding child custody matters, Missouri law focuses on the best interests of the child. A number of factors play into this determination including: The wishes of the child’s parents as to child custody The importance of the

As children age and their school, extracurricular and other interests demand more of their time, child support orders may become out of date. In other cases, one parent may struggle to provide proper care of the children because of addiction or mental health issues. Sometimes it is possible for parents to seek modifications of their child custody orders to reflect the changed circumstances and the best interests of the child. While it is possible to come to an informal agreement with a former spouse, filing a motion to modify a custody order ensures that the best interests of the child

When a marriage is ending, there are many issues for divorcing couples to consider. Child custody and visitation agreements are one of the most emotional of those issues to decide. It can also be one of the most contentious, especially if one parent is considering moving some distance away from the other.For children, the divorce process is difficult to understand and the effects can be long-lasting. According to a University of Pennsylvania study, children can experience feelings of vulnerability, powerlessness, anger and even a sense of grief for the parent who is no longer around.After the divorce, the non-custodial parent