Kansas City Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

A contentious separation is never easy. When you file your divorce petition and serve your spouse the papers, but they ignore or avoid the petition, it can make the situation even more frustrating. When you face a stressful divorce process like this, you may be able to obtain a default divorce, and a St. Louis default divorce lawyer can help you do so. Why Would a Spouse Refuse to Respond to Divorce Papers? Some respondent spouses may ignore the divorce papers they are served, while others may make significant efforts to avoid being served the papers in the first place.

Divorces are not all resolved through court. Frequently, couples settle their separation through alternate dispute resolution (ADR), including divorce mediation and collaborative divorce. This enables spouses to work together with separate legal representation to create a separation agreement with less cost and stress. Collaborative divorce is an effective tool for spouses who want to work together, but it can even help spouses who have a contentious relationship. There are several benefits to going through a collaborative divorce. Steps in Collaborative Divorce Each collaborative divorce will be unique, but they often follow these steps: Each spouse finds their own attorney to

There are many complicated aspects to any divorce. When you or your spouse own a business during your marriage, or you own a business together, this only adds to the complexities. Missouri law begins with the assumption that each partner in a divorce has an equal share of marital assets, and then it determines an equitable split based on factors in a marriage. Division of property laws could significantly affect your business after a divorce if you are unaware of how to protect it. The Importance of Marital vs. Separate Property It’s essential to first determine whether a business or

A divorce is a complex and difficult process for any couple, bringing with it emotional and financial hardships. A divorce will also likely impact an estate plan. There are many legal and financial matters to take care of after divorce, and updating your estate plan to reflect the changes in your life is important. In Missouri, beneficiary designations to ex-spouses are automatically removed after divorce if the designation is in a revocable part of the estate plan. Because of this, some parts of your estate may no longer have any beneficiaries after divorce and could end up in probate court.

Divorce proceedings are never easy, and negotiating property division can be an aggravating and lengthy process. Ideally, these proceedings are amicable and as fair to both parties as possible. However, in some situations, one or both spouses believe they may be entitled to more assets than the other. This can become contentious and take your divorce from negotiation to litigation. When a judge determines the division of property during litigation, you lose control over the results. It’s essential to understand how property is divided in Missouri. Marital vs. Non-Marital Property Property, or assets, owned by a couple include real estate,