Missouri statute allows custody in persons not biologically related to a child but having a familial bond. The Petitioner for third party custody must rebut a presumption of parental fitness or prove that the child’s welfare requires custody in pet…
Read More
Recent Decision from the Missouri Supreme Court:
Overview: A mother appeals a circuit court’s judgment awarding third-party custody of a child to her stepfather in the mother and stepfather’s proceeding to dissolve their marriage. In a decision w…
Read More
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…
Read More
Recent Case from the Court of Appeals: States have continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over their custody judgments until released by the rendering state.
The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act conditions authority of any State t…
Read More
Recent Case from the Missouri Court of Appeals:
Father appeals from a judgment denying his motion to modify child support. Grandparents appeal from the same judgment which also denied their petition seeking grandparent visitation.
The Grandmother did…
Read More
Recent Case: When a custody order contains restricted visitation, those restrictions must not be lifted, or even phased out, until a subsequent hearing to determine whether removal of the restrictions is in the child’s best interest.
Evidence…
Read More
Governor Jay Nixon signed House bill 1550 into law on July 1, 2016, which takes effect August 28, 2016. This law has been dubbed as an equal custody law, or 50/50 custody law, but that is not an entirely accurate description. Rather than specific…
Read More
Recent Missouri Case: Parent responsible for violating the court order when child refuses to visit the other parent as required in the court ordered parenting plan
Appellant D.R.P. (“Mother”) appeals the judgment of the Circuit Co…
Read More
Recent Ruling: Court not required to follow Guardian Ad Litem Recommendation, Specific findings under the 8 statutory factors required in Judge tried case
Father appeals from the trial court’s dissolution judgment as to child custody and property…
Read More
Recent case: Relocation must be in good faith and in children’s best interests; sole custody award appropriate when parents cannot jointly make decisions.
In a recent case from the Missouri Supreme Court, a mother sought to modify a judgment diss…
Read More
