The relevant Missouri Statute directing Courts and litigants in the manner to resolve child custody issues in Missouri is §457.375 R.S.Mo. Courts and litigants use the very detailed statute and case precedent for direction in determining the most important aspect of a Dissolution of Marriage, the custody of the children. All custody judgments will contain provisions concerning the legal and physical custody of the child. Simply put, legal custody concerns and decision-making powers are the important issues surrounding the rearing of the child. Physical custody primarily means with whom the child resides. In Missouri, parents whose children fall under the jurisdiction of the Family Court will receive a custody judgment setting forth that one party has sole legal custody, or that both parties share joint legal custody and that one party has sole physical custody or that both parties share joint physical custody. There are no other types of custody judgments.

There exists many ways for a Court to set a custody plan for families going through divorce. We work diligently to listen to our clients’ questions and concerns. We use our years of experience in negotiating parenting plans and in trying contested multi-day trials to fashion a parenting plan that you feel is in the best interest of your child or children. It is our policy to listen to your concerns, to discern the facts within your custody dispute, and to apply your concerns and facts to the existing laws to help you devise the best parenting plan for your child or children. There have been a great many times where clients have engaged us to pursue custody goals deemed unreachable by other attorneys and we have met and/or exceeded our clients’ expectations.

People proceeding through divorce litigation rightfully feel grave concern for the court’s custody order in their case. However, often times, the parties contain the capacity to make decisions concerning their children’s best interest rather than the Court making a decision based on the Court’s understanding of the best interests of the children.

Unfortunately, many divorces begin due to the parties’ inability to function in a manner that promotes the best interest of their children. A divorce attorney must teach his or her client to amend his or her conduct to properly meet the needs of their children. We have found that these are times when parents make mistakes parenting, solely due to an unawareness of factors that the divorce courts find to be improper. We work with our clients to help them change practices that prove contrary to achieving success in their custody litigation.

We have children. We know how much your children mean to you and how much you love them. We work with you to persuade the court to fashion a Judgment that permits you to promote your children’s best interest.