Abbott, Schappe & Francis, LLC

A divorce is one of the most difficult experiences that a person will go through in life. What was once thought to be a lifelong love has fallen apart. The anger and resentment that this can cause is palpable.

A marriage is a legal contract under Missouri law. Like many legal relationships, it must be undone by a court. In addition to the emotional damage that a person must undergo, there a legal considerations in regards to how to end a marriage. At Abbott, Schappe & Francis, LLC, we are sensitive and aware of the fact that you are facing these decisions during a very tough time in your life. It’s important to have good legal representation because these are decisions that may affect your life for years.

If you are in a divorce, some of the decisions that you will face include:

• Who will have custody of the children?
• What will be the visitation arrangement for the parent who does not have custody?
• What is the appropriate amount of child support to be paid?
• Which parent should be allowed to claim the children as dependents for tax purposes?
• What real and personal property should be considered separate property and which should be considered marital property?
• How should marital property be divided between the parties?

The approach we take at Abbott, Schappe & Francis, LLC is to ensure that our clients receive fair and just judgments in these legal considerations. Every case is different. In some cases, parties are able to work things out. In others, trial are necessary – this is frequently so in cases where someone has been a victim of domestic abuse.

Even after a divorce has been finalized, the need for legal counsel may continue. If a former spouse fails to pay child support, fails to provide access to children during visitation periods, or fails to follow court orders, you can file a motion with the court forcing the former spouse to follow the law.

Sometimes, when a former spouse has had a significant increase in income, or has demonstrated poor parenting decisions, a change in the divorce order regarding child support or custody may be appropriate.

If you are facing a divorce, or another domestic relations legal matter, please contact our attorneys. We provide sensitivity to you inside our office while providing strong legal representation in the courtroom.