Family Law Attorneys in Columbia, MO

While many people see reasons to avoid involving attorneys, almost every divorce can be handled more quickly, more efficiently and more appropriately when the parties have effective divorce representation.

Even the most simple divorce, without children, involve the division of marital property. Not everything qualifies as marital property, but items such as retirement accounts may be included in a division of property. We help our clients secure a property division that is fair and to leave the marriage with property that is most important.

When parties cannot agree on their own, we help them reach a resolution on issues of legal custody — joint or sole — and physical custody. We will attempt to resolve custody through negotiation but are prepared to go to trial if necessary.

If the children of a marriage will be living primarily with one parent, the other parent is often ordered to make a monthly as contribution to their support. We can help reach an agreement about the appropriate amount for child support.

Spousal support or maintenance, previously known as alimony, is usually ordered when one spouse is unable to provide for his or her reasonable needs, while the other spouse has the ability to not only care for himself or herself, but for his or her spouse as well.

Often the best-case scenario for resolving a divorce involves the use of family law mediation. This method of structured negotiation allows each party to argue for their position in the hopes that they can reach common ground and avoid the need for a trial.

Whatever the situation may be, it is important that your divorce decree and related support and custody orders accurately reflect your situation. When a changed situation requires a qualified family law attorney, you can rely on us to help you achieve the results you seek.

If divorce orders, child support orders, child custody orders or other court orders are not followed, the individual accused of violating them could be held in contempt of court. If you are facing charges of contempt of court because you allegedly violated orders, we can assist you in determining the best way to protect yourself and to remedy the situation.

When a child is born to parents who have not married, the issues associated with determining legal paternity arise in connection with the parents’ concerns regarding appropriate custodial arrangements for their child.

As with many legal processes, the procedure for securing a name change is complicated, and making at least one mistake is common and can thwart the entire process. If obtaining a legal name change is important to you, your best option is to secure the assistance of a lawyer experienced with the process.

Domestic abuse is both highly emotional and extremely complicated, especially when police are involved. Sometimes, the person alleged to have committed domestic abuse never intended the harm caused. Further, the accusations of abuse or violence are sometimes used in order to gain an advantage during a divorce.

Many families find themselves in court during times of stress and uncertainty, but legal proceedings are not always this way. Adoption is one of the most positive legal occasions in the life of a family. In fact, many judges look forward to adoption cases as a time of joy for Missouri families.

Our juvenile law attorneys and full staff are experienced in all areas of juvenile law, including representing parents accused of abuse and neglect or facing termination of parental rights, representing children’s best interests in the capacity of a guardian ad litem, and representing juveniles faced with delinquency allegations.