Missouri Divorce & Family Law Blog
Staying informed is crucial when dealing with complex legal issues. Our blog provides insights and updates on Missouri divorce and family law, offering valuable information to help you navigate your case.
Case Law Update: Award of Maintenance (Alimony) Upheld
February 25th, 2008
Case Summary: Past standard of living is not the standard for setting maintenance, but Wife showed that she can not meet her reasonable needs by working presently or in the future because of poor health and limited education. Circuit Court awarded pr…
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Case Law Update: There Must Be Sufficient Credit Hours For Child Support To Continue While Child In College; New Law Not Retroactive
February 1st, 2008
Statute passed in 2007 did not apply to obligation in 2002. In 2002, statute provided that Child working 15 hours per week could maintain support obligation by completing at least nine credit hours of post-secondary education. Child completed eight c…
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Categories: Child Support
How To Prevent Divorce From Hurting Your Credit
January 24th, 2008
The following post recently appeared in the New York Divorce Report. This article addresses one of the most important issues in a divorce, the division of marital debts. If parties have joint debt, whether it is a credit card, loan, auto loan, mortga…
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Case Law Update: Grandparent Visitation Cannot Be Granted By A Probate Judge
January 21st, 2008
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…
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Case Law Update: Post-Judgment Procedures Pitfall
January 21st, 2008
Susan J. Southard, Petitioner/Respondent v. James A. Southard, Respondent/Appellant, No. 89217 (Mo. App. E.D., November 27, 2007), Romines, J. This was an action for modification heard by a family court commissioner. The commissioner’s findings…
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Categories: Legal Proceedings
Recent Case: Amount Due for Overpaid Child Support Was Not Proved
January 14th, 2008
Administrative child support order was void because of prior judicial order. Court of Appeals denies motion to supplement record with evidence, of non-custodial parent’s liability for child support, not received in Circuit Court. But non-custod…
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Categories: Child Support
How to Keep Divorce From Having Long Lasting Effects on Children
January 2nd, 2008
Yearly more than 1 million children experience the divorce of their parents. The process and trauma these children experience will normally begin long before there is an actual divorce. It will begin with parental disagreements, anger and continue to…
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Categories: Divorce
We Decided to Divorce: Do I Want the House?
December 11th, 2007
The following post recently appeared on Pennsylvania Family Law, a great family law blog. The post brings up several points that should be considered when dividing the marital property, particularly the home, which in the current housing market, is a…
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Missouri Law Extends California Child Support Order - Recent Case
November 27th, 2007
California child support order was due to expire, but Mother moved to Missouri and obtained modification. Father failed to appeal modification, and to impeach it when enforced or in his own action, and so waived personal jurisdiction. Father sought t…
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Categories: Child Support
Attorneys Fee Award Requires Evidence
November 9th, 2007
The Issue of attorney’s fees often comes up in domestic litigation. Missouri has adopted the American Rule regarding attorney’s fees in that, absent statutory authorization or contractual agreemtn, each litigant, absent few exceptions, mu…
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Mark A. Wortman
Mark A. Wortman is a Missouri family law attorney who handles only divorce and family law matters within the state. Due to this specialty, Mark Wortman has handled thousands of Missouri divorce and family cases and has practiced extensively in front… Read More
