Child Custody Law

If the divorce process is not finalized it can be canceled. If only one person has filed court pleadings, then that person just has to request to dismiss the case. If both people have filed pleadings, then they have to jointly request to dismiss the case. If the Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage has been issued and more than 30 days have passed, then the parties would have to marry one another again.

There are several ways to reduce your overall attorney’s fees and save money during the divorce process. First it is important to bulk all of your questions together and ask them at one time. Attorney’s bill by the amount of time they spend on the case. If you ask one question every five days you will have spent a half hour of attorney time. However if you bulk your questions together and ask them all at the end of the week then you may have only taken up a few minutes of time. Over time that will save you a substantial amount of money. Second, when information is requested by the attorney, provide your response in a timely manner. It is a waste of money if your attorney has to hunt you down for something simple like paystubs. Third is it is important to be reasonable in your case. You do not want two attorneys to argue for four hours over a sweater that is only worth $20. A good attorney knows the judge and what they are likely to do with your case. Come to a resolution that is similar to the outcome you would get with the Judge and you will save money.

Divorce itself has no negative impact on credit. What does affect credit is one party failing to make payments on marital bills. When debts are in the name of both parties to the marriage, both are negatively affected when payments are not made. Often poor choices made during the divorce process result in negative impacts on credit that may take years to repair. As your attorney I will do my best to insure that your credit is protected and help with any credit repair needed after divorce.

Divorce typically has a negative impact on finances. The same amount of income now needs to support two separate households. Both parties to the divorce will probably need to change their lifestyle somewhat. As your attorney I will assist you with creating a new budget and determining financial support.

The documents required for divorce vary by county and state. That is why it is important to have an attorney assist you with the process. Generally you need a divorce petition and a case filing information sheet to get the process started.

In Missouri you need a Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage and in Kansas you need a Decree and Journal Entry of Divorce. In both states you will have to wait at least thirty (30) days after your divorce is final before remarrying.

The divorce process is started by one party signing a Petition, filing with the court, and paying the filing fee. The divorce process is final when a Judge signs a final judgment or journal entry.

Here are some common issues that can make divorce expensive:
1. One side is refusing to take a reasonable stance
2. One side is accusing the other of abuse
3. One side is accusing the other side of hiding funds
4. One side is hiding funds
5. One side has kidnapped the child
6. The client is utilizing the attorney as a therapist
7. One side has unrealistic expectations