What to Expect from Your Missouri Divorce

Facing a divorce places you at a significant crossroad. Decisions you make affect you and your family in both the short and the long run. With nearly 60 years of combined legal experience, the Missouri divorce lawyers of Case, Rajnoha & Boudreau in Ballwin, Missouri stand by your side every step of the way. The bulk of our family law practice focuses on divorce cases, so we know how to anticipate actions in a contested divorce and we fully comprehend the issues that inevitably come up.

Call any of our lawyers at Case, Rajnoha & Boudreau at (636) 552-4872 or contact us online for a free initial phone consultation about your divorce or other family law matter.

Steps and issues involved in a Missouri divorce

• Filing for divorce. To file for divorce in Missouri, either you or your spouse must be a resident of the state for 90 days prior to filing for dissolution of marriage. In St. Louis County, the petition for dissolution of marriage should be filed with the Family Court of St. Louis County in Clayton. If the divorce is uncontested, it can be finalized within a couple of months.

• Serving the petition. The non-petitioning spouse is served with the divorce papers and has 30 days to respond. If the two of you agree on important issues of property division, child custody and child support, your divorce can be finalized without going to trial. If you don't agree, the court schedules a settlement conference to identify the contested issues.

• Dividing the property. Assets and debts acquired before, during and after your marriage to the point of divorce will be defined as either marital or separate property. When we meet, our divorce lawyers can tell you which of your assets and debts are considered marital property and which are separate. It's a good idea to prepare a detailed list of your assets, date of purchase, estimated value, and any account and serial numbers since you will need to provide this to the court.

• Maintenance. Spousal support or alimony, known as maintenance in Missouri, may be awarded by the court based on a number of factors, including:

• Age, as well as financial, physical and emotional circumstances of the spouse seeking maintenance
• Time needed for the spouse to gain the necessary training or education to find suitable employment
• Earning capacity of each spouse
• Standard of living during the marriage
• Length of the marriage
• Conduct during the marriage

• Child custody. The family court makes decisions based on the best interest of the child and takes many factors into consideration, including:
  • The wishes of the parents and the proposed parenting plan submitted by the parents to the court.  Please see our divorce attorneys' FAQs page for more information.
  • The child's need to have a meaningful relationship with both parents and the parents' willingness and ability to make it possible
  • The child's wishes and needs
  • The child's adjustment to home, school and community
  • Which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent, meaningful and continuing contact with the other parent
  • Any parental history of domestic violence

• Child support. Missouri provides a child support calculation worksheet. The family court bases its decision on the income of the parent receiving support, the parent paying support, the number of children and anticipated expenses, among other factors such as:
  • The standard of living the child was used to
  • The child's educational, physical and emotional needs
  • The custody arrangement

When issues arise, an experienced hand guides the way

Every divorce case is different. But over the course of the last 30 years, we have developed insights into helping our clients move through the process effectively, efficiently and with the least amount of pain and stress possible. We understand what's at stake for you and do all we can to help. We treat divorce and other family law matters with the same sincerity, expertise and dedication we bring to our other areas of practice. At Case, Rajnoha & Boudreau, LLP, our lawyers promise to give you prompt, personal attention.