» Adoption and Guardianship

Guardianship of children approved upon showing of unfitness and inability to parent

August 19th, 2017
Posted By
Mark A. Wortman
Recent Case from the Court of Appeals: Letters of Guardianship Affirmed Mother appeals from the trial court’s judgment, which appointed Petitioners as guardians over two minor children. The trial court’s judgment found the children’s parents (M… Read More
Categories: Adoption and Guardianship, Child Abuse, Custody and Visitation, Family Law

Child support paid by third party does not equal child neglect; Proposed Judgments prepared by counsel should not be signed verbatim.

February 6th, 2017
Posted By
Mark A. Wortman
The Constitution protects the fundamental right of a parent to custody of their child even though child’s best interests are the goal of statutes governing adoption. An action for adoption without parental consent terminates, without a separate act… Read More
Categories: Adoption and Guardianship, Legal Proceedings, Trials

Case Law Update: No Child Abandonment Without Knowledge

March 4th, 2012
Posted By
Mark A. Wortman
Recent Ruling: Termination of parental rights requires proof of statutory grounds by clear, convincing and cogent evidence, and proof of child’s best interest by a preponderance of the evidence. In an action to terminate parental rights, the statut… Read More
Categories: Adoption and Guardianship, Child Abuse, Custody and Visitation, Divorce, Domestic Abuse, Paternity

Child Neglect Shown in recent Decision

February 5th, 2011
Posted By
Mark A. Wortman
In a recent decision by the Missouri Court of Appeals, clear, cogent and convincing evidence supported a finding of neglect in protecting the child, maintaining the household, and supervising the child. “If a parent is unable to pay for all of… Read More
Categories: Adoption and Guardianship, Child Abuse, Child Support, Custody and Visitation, Divorce, Guardian Ad Litem, Military Divorce, Military Family Law, Modifications, Paternity

Case Law Update: Grandparent Visitation Cannot Be Granted By A Probate Judge

January 21st, 2008
Posted By
Mark A. Wortman
In the Matter of D.C.O. and A.D.O., Bill Hitt and Brenda Hitt, Appellants v. Mark S. Odom, Respondent, No. 28163 (Mo. App. S.D., December 7, 2007), Parrish, P.J. The father of two minor children filed a motion to modify a prior judgment granting gran… Read More
Categories: Adoption and Guardianship, Custody and Visitation