Springfield Divorce & Family Law Blog

Divorce proceedings in Springfield can often become emotional given the stakes involved. However, participants in such cases rely on the fair and unbiased guidance of court professional in order to keep things on task. It is this very lack of connection between the parties involved which affords judges and other officers of the court the authority to render valid judgments. Were one such official to have ties to one side, ethical standards may require that he or she excuse him or herself from the proceedings in order to avoid the impression that one party might be privy to favorable treatment. 

A recent case involving a judge in New Jersey illustrates why this is absolutely necessary. She has become subject to professional discipline for intervening in a custody case involving a former associate. According to reports, she called a local police station claiming that she was the emergent judge on call, and that an attorney had contacted claiming that his client's ex-husband had taken custody of the children despite a court order saying they were to spend Mother's Day with their mom. It was later discovered that not only was the judge not on call, but that the court order she referenced never existed and the phone call with the attorney never occurred. Subsequent investigations revealed that the judge knew the mother in the case, and that she lied to allow the woman to retain custody during the holiday. 

Missouri spouses considering divorce know it is certainly not an easy decision to make, or an easy process to get through. Another significant hurdle in the process of dividing your lives into separate pieces is the division of assets. Divorce is a financial decision as well as an emotional one, and it reaches beyond choosing which spouse winds up with the house and car.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, advises divorcing spouses to consider all your options before cashing out retirement accounts. It may seem simpler and easier to liquidate everything, but retirement assets are critical to maintaining as a supplement to Social Security, which may not provide sufficient funds for retirement.

The divorce paperwork is well under way, the search for a new living space has begun and family and friends have reached out in support. What could be next? For Missouri parents going through divorce, children can become the most crucial focus. Even when both parents have been on good terms throughout the divorce, situations involving children can quickly escalate. The following information delves into the basics of child custody disputes.

Verywell Family appears to understand all too well how easily a child custody dispute can erupt. Some parents mistakenly assume that judges will sympathize with their points of view; however, Verywell reminds its audience that courts generally prioritize the best interests of the child. And while avoiding a child custody battle is always the first choice, sometimes parents cannot reach an agreement. In these cases, it is important to prepare for a child custody hearing. Courts consider many factors during this process, including (but not limited to) the following: 

• The better parent standard
• Proper court etiquette
• Communication between the parents

There hardly exists a more stressful life chapter than that of divorce. After all, it has a way of turning one's life upside down. With all of the steps involved in separating from a spouse, some Missouri residents may wonder about the costs of divorce. What factors come into play in regard to fees, and what financial hurdles can one expect to face in the months following a separation?

Last November, The Kansas City Star focused on the topic of divorce in the country. While attitudes toward marriage in America continue to shift away from traditional, lifelong committment, conservatives in the nation have attempted to reverse divorce trends. As a result, the subject of taxes has arrived under the public spotlight. Lawmakers have recently considered the ways that modifications to tax treatment of alimony payments could change America's outlook on divorce. Potential changes include no generation of taxable income nor deductions from alimony. At current, alimony payments fall under the category of taxable income. What, many might wonder, does this mean for divorces in the future? The Star shows that such changes could make divorces more expensive, but could also make them less common.