Child Custody & Child Support Attorney
In Missouri, the most important factor a Court considers before making a child support or child custody decree is the best interests of the child(ren). When parents disagree about what is in a given child’s best interests, the Court will often appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the child if he or she is too young or unassertive to voice their desires.
It goes without saying that child custody and child support disputes are mentally exhausting and emotionally taxing. A lot is on the line and people do not often feel comfortable with a Judge they do not know making a legally binding decision. For this reason alone, it is vital to have an attorney represent you in a divorce decree, legal separation, or modification of child custody or child support. Furthermore, the law, procedurally and substantively, is often complex. Specific guidelines have to be met and not all facts are admissible when determining child custody and child support under Missouri law.
Moreover, motions to modify child custody and/or child support are becoming increasingly common. Because circumstances understandably change in individual lives, sometimes the best interests of the child will change after a Court decree, thus necessitating that the Court amend an initial Child Custody and/or Child Support Decree.
Whether you are contemplating or presently going through a Dissolution of Marriage, Child Custody Dispute, Child Support Dispute, Paternity, Legal Separation, or even an Annulment, do not hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation.