Call the office today and set up a free consultation. Kevin is admitted to the respected Missouri Bar and the United States District Court, Western District of Missouri. If you are going through a divorce or family law matter, it can feel like your whole life is hanging in the balance.
While your questions may vary depending on the type of situation you need assistance with, here are the top 10 questions to ask your family attorney during a consultation: 1. What is your level of experience?
I am lawyer practicing in central Missouri. My practice focuses personal bankruptcies (Chapters 7 and 13) and on family law matters, including divorce, child custody and support matters, modifications, paternity actions, and guardianships and conservatorships.
Give the lawyer the copies at the beginning of the initial consultation. Prudent attorneys do not accept original documents, and you do not want to waste precious time or money waiting while the attorney makes copies. So fax the documents to the law office before the meeting.
Give the answer in your own words, and if a question can't be truthfully answered with a “yes” or “no” answer, explain the answer. If an attorney demands a “yes” or “no” answer and you can not give one, let the judge know that, and explain that to do so would be misleading to the court or inaccurate.
The Reigning King of What Can Be Used Against You in a Custody Battle: Verbal or Physical Altercations. We wanted to start with the most simple pitfall to avoid: When tempers get high, it's quite alluring to get into a verbal sparring match with your ex-spouse.
Mental and Physical Well-Being of Parents Parents' mental well-being is of great concern to a judge in a child custody case. Psychological disorders, overwhelming stress, drug or alcohol abuse, and mental health crises can prevent a parent from acting in their child's best interests.
The state of Missouri is neither a "Mother State", or "Father State".
In malicious parent syndrome, one parent attempts to punish the other parent and can even go too far to harm or deprive their children of the other parent by placing the other parent in a bad light.
How Do You Win a Custody Case Against a Narcissist? Follow These 9 Steps#1 Remember That You Are Dealing With a Narcissist. ... #2 Take Note of Everything That Happens. ... #3 Stop or Limit Communication. ... #4 Contact Law Enforcement. ... #6 Ensure Your Physical Safety. ... #8 Continue Being Dependable. ... #9 Secure the Right Attorney. ... Stay Calm.More items...•
How to prove the best interest of the childPrepare a parenting plan. ... Keep track of your parenting time. ... Maintain a journal to show you meet parenting duties. ... Keep a log of child-related expenses. ... Get reliable child care. ... Ask others to testify on your behalf. ... Show that you're willing to work with the other parent.More items...
Child Custody and The 12 Best Interest FactorsPermanence of the family home. ... Moral fitness of the parties. ... Parents health. ... Successful schooling. ... Preference of the child. ... Parent facilitates and encourages a close and continuing parent-child relationship with other parent. ... Domestic violence. ... Court determined relevant factor.More items...•
The child may reside in a home that is not physically safe or supportive; it may have no heat, electricity, water, sewer disposal. The house may be in general ill repair. The second physical instability comes from the physical interactions that occur between family members.
In the eyes of the law, fathers' rights include a legal obligation to care for his child. This means he should take action to care for any children, including their physical, emotional, and financial well-being. He also has legal rights regarding custody, visitation, and child support.
The law considers an 18-year-old to be an adult. [Missouri Revised Statutes - Title XXX - §431.055] Any child younger than that is a minor, and technically can't refuse to visit with a parent. However, if brought to the court's attention, a judge can determine whether there's a legitimate basis for the child's request.
Age 18Legally, Your Child Can Refuse Visitation at Age 18 When your child reaches 18, he or she is an adult. Adults can decide who they spend time with. You will not be able to force your child to continue to see you. A family law court will no longer be able to enforce any possession or visitation clauses over an adult.
"Family Law" can refer to a wide range of legal practices, all of which deal, in some form, with the laws that affect family relationships. It includes things like marriage, divorce, child custody, and all the accompanying legal issues.
Whatever your family law issue is, be it marriage, divorce, or adoption in Missouri, LegalMatch.com can help you Find the right Missouri family law attorney, and the correct attorney can make all the difference in the world.
Missouri has a population of nearly 6 million and is the 18th most populated state in the U.S. It is commonly called "The Show Me State". Missouri also has a number of other informal nicknames, such as "The Ozark State" and "The Lead State". Former President Harry S.
"They had options that could get my case pushed through fast. I was convinced by the number of phone numbers available. Three attorneys responded promptly. It was unbelievable"
An important question to ask a lawyer is what the strategy for your case will be and the outcome the lawyer expects. You’ll want to get details on what kind of procedures to expect. Ask how long it will take for the entire case to be resolved. Discuss the legal strategies that will be used. Find out if your attorney will attempt to settle and if mediation or arbitration are options. Think about the answers and if you are comfortable with them. Maybe you want to avoid a trial at all costs but your attorney really wants to just go to trial, or perhaps you have no intention of settling and want your day in court. It is important that your lawyer’s strategy lines up with your needs.
Most lawyers offer a free consultation so that you have a chance to determine if he or she is the right person for you. Going to the first meeting with some simple questions can help you ensure you find the right person for the legal help you need. You will not get much legal advice at this consult since it is not meant to resolve your legal ...
Meeting with a lawyer for an initial consultation is generally not a chance to ask legal questions that are in depth, but is instead an opportunity to get a sense as to whether this lawyer is the right one to handle your case. Use this meeting to help you decide which lawyer will be the best one for your case.
Meeting with a small business attorney is an important way to get your business off to a good start and minimize future risks. Here are questions to ask at your first meeting.
It is generally not very helpful to ask where the attorney went to law school since you can find this information online and it often tells you nothing useful anyhow. Focus instead on experience with your type of case. You can also ask the average verdict the lawyer has obtained in your type of case.
Having practiced family law for the past twenty-two plus years I have come to appreciate how agonizing the first consultation with your divorce lawyer can be.
It sounds like a simple question, but meeting with a complete stranger to discuss the shortcomings of your marriage is often easier said than done.
If you find yourself embroiled in a family dispute, you should consider seeking legal counsel from an established family attorney. A family attorney can assist with dealing in matters of divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, paternity, restraining orders, spousal support, premarital agreements, wills and trusts, ...
Because lawyers often provide a free or low-cost consultation to discuss case details and possible avenues to pursue, you should take that opportunity to ask several questions. They will help you determine not only the merit of your case, but whether that attorney may be the right one for you.
It’s also important to find out who their typical client is, because if that attorney deals primarily with corporate clients or clients far beyond your financial means, they may not be used to handling a client like you or your best interests. 3.
Because hiring a family attorney can become expensive, especially if the case goes to court, you’ll at least want to determine what your other options may be. Arbitration and other out-of-court arrangements may be made to spare you not only time and expenses, but undue anxiety and other emotional distress.
No matter what your situation is, it’s absolutely vital for you to know as much as you can about your situation. This question will vary for each client, but if you’re entangled in a nasty divorce, you will want to know all there is to know about legalities involving divorce. The same would go for wills and trusts or child custody and alimony payments.
Even if you have no court papers yet, you may have on hand or could readily obtain documents that could be helpful.
All attorneys meet with prospective clients in what is called an initial consultation. This is a first meeting between you and the lawyer to help you both decide whether you want to work together in an attorney-client relationship. At this point, you are both checking each other out, and getting information and advice that can help you with your case regardless of whether you hire that lawyer or any other one.
Make a set of copies of everything that you plan to share with the lawyer. Give the lawyer the copies at the beginning of the initial consultation. Prudent attorneys do not accept original documents, and you do not want to waste precious time or money waiting while the attorney makes copies. So fax the documents to the law office before the meeting.
Remember, the attorney will keep this information confidential, unless required to share it with a court because it is relevant to the legal matter or with law enforcement for a public-safety reason. You may think the information is too trivial or embarrassing to mention, but it may well be extremely important, so share it.
It is usually in your best interest to meet with the attorney alone, even if the other person is paying for the appointment. Your friend (s) or loved one (s) can wait in the lobby. To avoid interruptions, be sure to turn off all cell phones or other electronic devices just before your appointment.