Among all the issues to be decided in a Missouri marital dissolution, child custody determinations are perhaps the most emotionally charged. While no one would disagree that the child's best interest should be the highest priority, reasonable people can reach different conclusions over the optimal way to reach that standard. If the divorcing couple can agree on a plan that works for them, the court will usually approve it. If no agreement can be reached, however, the court then has the duty to establish a custody determination.
Custody determinations focus on the child's best interests
Seeking sole custody of a child can be challenging
Family courts in Missouri might hesitate to grant a parent sole custody of a child. This action would place physical and legal custody in the hands of only one guardian. In such a situation, the other parent without custody will generally still have access to children in the form of visitation. However, they will lose the ability to make legal decisions concerning the children. This contrasts with joint custody that could grant both parents the right to make legal decisions for their kids.
Addressing child support
When parents in Missouri decide to divorce, one area of contention can be child support. In many cases, however, parents are willing to put aside strong feelings in favor of negotiations that center the child's best interests. These families often forgo lengthy litigation and opt to negotiate child support between themselves.
How to transfer a home during a divorce
When people in Missouri decide to divorce, the family home may be one of their largest and most emotionally charged assets. At the point when the couple must decide how to handle the marital home in a divorce, it is important for both spouses to thoroughly examine their financial circumstances to reach a decision that can help them thrive financially after the split. There are a number of factors that can contribute to that decision, including the amount of equity in the home.
A guide to foster parent's bill of rights
In the state of Missouri, foster parents have certain protections under the law. They have the power to make decisions about the daily activities of children under their care, and they are allowed to practice their own family values while remaining respectful of their foster child's own cultural heritage. All discipline that's carried out by foster parents needs to adhere to current state law, and it's purpose must be to direct and teach the behavior of the child.
Consequences and solutions when a parent fails to pay support
All situations have two sides, including the issue of unpaid child support, as some Missouri parents learn when faced with this situation. Although it is common to associate unpaid support with fathers, hence the stereotype of the deadbeat dad, the reality is that both mothers and fathers find themselves in situations where they fall behind on their payments, sometimes due to situations out of their control.
Establishing child support
Paying or receiving child support is a matter that many parents in Missouri have to address. The payment is a duty that typically falls upon the noncustodial parent, and the goal is to maintain a financial level of support that comes close to what the child had before the separation.
Modifying child custody and visitation arrangements
Family law judges in Missouri and around the country make child custody and visitation rulings based on what they consider to be in the best interests of the children involved. However, their decisions may be revisited when situations change. The courts generally act quickly when children have been placed in situations that have become dangerous due to substance abuse problems or episodes of domestic violence in the household. Child custody arrangements may also be modified when parents die, move to another part of the country or routinely ignore visitation schedules.
