Back to School Tips for Co-Parents

The new school year is quickly approaching and it's time to start preparing. If you, as co-parents, are both active in your child's life, this can be a challenging task. Preparing your child for a new school year requires a lot of coordination and cooperation between you and the other parent. This is an important...

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5 Tips for Surviving Joint Custody with a Combative Ex

When we finish up a "high conflict" custody case in which my client is dealing with a very combative other parent, I always just know that my client is going to have a very rough road ahead for the next 18 or so years.  The following article, from Divorcedmoms.com is by Shanon Lee and it...

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Nesting: Is It the Best Arrangement for the Kids?

Nesting: Is It the Best Arrangement for the Kids?

The following article is from the NY Times, about a concept called "nesting".  I have had some clients try it and to be honest, it didn't seem like it worked well for anything but a very temporary basis.  Nesting started in cities like New York, where real estate is SO expensive that divorcing parents couldn't...

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“MY DIVORCE IS UNCONTESTED”, OR IS IT?

Most everyone probably has heard that an uncontested divorce can save people a ton of time, money and aggravation, so it is usually the goal of at least one of the parties to the divorce. Because of that, many people call me and tell me that they need to hire me to do a non-contested...

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MY SPOUSE AND I ARE GETTING DIVORCED… WHO GETS ROVER???

MY SPOUSE AND I ARE GETTING DIVORCED… WHO GETS ROVER???

I often have clients ask me how "Custody" of pets will be handled. Can we do a custody schedule for who the dog is with? Will the pets travel back and forth with the kids? And what about a situation where a pet is old or sickly and has high medical bills? Is it fair...

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In divorce, protecting financial well-being is fundamental

RIF is an acronym many in Missouri may be familiar with. It stands for Reading is Fundamental. The organization got its start 50 years ago as a way to improve childhood literacy by getting books into the hands of kids. It promotes the idea that reading is "fun" on one hand, and essential to overall...

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My oldest child turned 18, shouldn’t my support payment drop?

The issue of child support can present a lot of complications. Those with experience in dealing with such matters under Missouri law know that a so-called "calculator" is used to set levels of payment for parents. But in our computer-dominated world, there is truth in the phrase "garbage in, garbage out." If the information provided...

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Knowing when to contact a divorce attorney

A great many spouses who eventually end their marriages spend an enormous amount of time considering that possibility prior to taking any action. Some are uncertain at which point they should contact a divorce attorney, and waver in making this critical decision. It is important to understand that when it comes to matters of Missouri...

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Meeting with a Divorce Attorney for the First Time

Meeting with a Divorce Attorney for the First Time

When meeting with a divorce lawyer for the first time it is important to be prepared to ask the right questions, have all the necessary information and know what outcome you are hoping to achieve Divorce can be one of the most emotionally disturbing and difficult situations that an individual is ever likely to encounter...

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Unusual fathers’ rights case makes national headlines

An unusual case has led to a great deal of media attention in Missouri and across the nation. The case centers on a family in which a man and his wife invited another woman into their marriage. A resulting pregnancy added to their unusual family dynamic, and eventually to a child custody case that has...

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