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Serving Missouri, St. Louis and Surrounding areas
The law Offices of Kevin J. Roach is dedicated to representing clients throughout the process of divorce. In Missouri, divorce is known as "dissolution of marriage". Initially, we meet individually with each potential client to conduct an in-depth assessment of his or her unique situation. During this meeting likely issues are identified and discussed at length.
The process of dissolution of marriage involves the division of the marital assets and debts between the parties, and for parties who have minor children, a determination of the allocation of parenting time, and child support. In cases where one spouse is unable to meet his or her reasonable financial needs after the dissolution, the issue of spousal support, known as "maintenance" in Missouri, must be addressed. In some cases, the valuation and division of assets is a relatively straightforward matter. In cases involving large estates, complex retirement funds, substantial real estate interests, unique or intangible assets, or business interests, financial experts might be required to assist in properly valuing assets and providing consultation services related to the litigation. Similarly, in highly contested custody matters, experts might be needed to assess the best interests of the children and make recommendations to the Court regarding the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time.
Procedurally, the process of dissolution begins with the filing of a Petition by one or both parties who have satisfied Missouri’s jurisdictional requirements. After the Petition has been filed and served upon the opposing party, statutory deadlines for the exchange of financial information, discovery, and trial management go into effect. One or both parties may request the Court to enter orders temporarily establishing the parties' responsibilities while the case is pending. Additionally, while the proceedings are pending, the parties will engage in settlement negotiations in an effort to amicably resolve the issues without the need for litigation.
The dissolution becomes final when the Court enters a Decree of Dissolution. By law, a Decree of Dissolution cannot be entered by the Court until at least 30 days have passed since service upon the opposing party. Often, a final Decree is not entered until several months after the case begins, particularly in cases where parties are unable to reach an agreement on the issues and the case must be tried before the Court.
The Law Offices of Kevin J. Roach prides itself on expertise in the area of family law and divorce and our reputation for excellence. Please use our online form to submit a free divorce case evaluation or call us toll free at 1-866-519-0085