What You Need to Know When Filing a Divorce in Missouri
A divorce is also known as dissolution of marriage. For a married couple, a divorce means severing a marital relationship and the division of assets and debts. In case one of the parties to a divorce is not able to support themselves after the divorce, alimony will arise. Where minor children are involved, the issues of child support and child custody need to be resolved. Here are some necessary steps for filing a divorce in Missouri.
Dissolution of Marriage Form
The first step in a Missouri divorce process is filing the “Petition for the Dissolution of Marriage” form. This is a legal form used to request a divorce. The way also contains the names of the children from the marriage so the court can consider issues such as custody and support in its final ruling. After the petition has been completed, the petitioner spouse is required to file this paperwork together with the “Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet” in court.
Serving the Respondent Spouse With a Divorce Petition
The petitioner spouse must serve the respondent spouse with copies of the divorce papers by any of the following methods:
- The county sheriff could serve the respondent spouse with the papers
- A private process server may present the papers to the respondent
Both the county sheriff and private process server will charge you a fee for their services.
Financial Disclosures
Both spouses are required to fill a “Statement of Income and Expenses.” The judge uses information from this statement to grant alimony or child support.
Parenting Plans
A parenting plan refers to a document outlining custody matters. The method includes the time the child will be spending with each parent and how they are going to be raised. Some divorcing parents agree on custody issues while some present their parenting plans to the judge for a final ruling.
Divorce can be a stressful time for the petitioning spouse as well as the respondent spouse. Filing a divorce involves a series of legal procedures and may take time before it is finalized. With the help of an attorney, you will be able to navigate the legal processes quickly and to get a fair ruling regarding child custody, alimony, or the division of assets and liabilities.