Family Law

Divorce Attorney Serving St. Joseph, MO

At The Ritchie Law Group , we use our 60 years of combined experience, and a sophisticated team approach, to handle even the most complex Family Law cases. This gives us an edge in high-stakes matters, including division of multi-million dollar estates or large family businesses, as well as high-conflict custody battles. Our Family Law attorneys are also well-equipped to handle routine matters for our client. We work closely with our clients and are able to tailor our approach to their personal needs.

An image representing a family who needs a divorce attorney serving Platte City, MO

EXPERIENCED ADOPTION ATTORNEYS

The decision to adopt a child is very significant. It will change your family forever. At The Ritchie Law Group, we understand the importance of an adoption for your family, so we work diligently to help make sure that everything runs smoothly. At The Ritchie Law Group, each case is assigned a lawyer and a paralegal. This helps to reduce costs for you and makes it easier for you to check the progress of your case with a staff member who knows the details. This is all part of our effort to offer you personal attention and exceptional service.

Mother And Kid Playing — St. Joseph, MO — Ritchie, Soper & Schutt, LLC

WE UNDERSTAND THE CHILD CUSTODY AND VISITATION LAWS IN MISSOURI

When parents divorce or when a child is born outside of marriage, many parents worry that they will not have the contact they need with the child they love. This uncertainty can be stressful and challenging. Many parents worry that the law favors mothers over fathers. They should know that Missouri law does not favor one parent over the other based on gender. Instead, the law looks at the best interests of the child. It takes several factors into account, including:

The wishes of the child’s parents as proposed in a parenting plan
The child’s adjustment to home, school and community
The needs of the child for a frequent, continuing and meaningful relationship with both parents
The willingness of one parent to allow contact with the other
The interrelationship of the child, his or her siblings, parents, care providers and others who have an effect on the best interests of the child
You should talk to an attorney about ways in which you can maintain your relationship with your child. Our attorneys can help you create a plan that allows both parents meaningful parenting time with the child, while at the same time giving the child a sense of stability and structure.

We also handle contested guardianships on behalf of family members seeking guardianship or for a parent opposing a guardianship. We encourage you to talk with us about your guardianship situation.

CHILD SUPPORT DURING DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS

When a family divides, the income that would traditionally be used to support one household must be used to support two. This compromise can be difficult. However, parents generally want the best for their children after a divorce. Working with an experienced attorney, they can help make sure that the proper amount of child support is determined under Missouri laws. The Ritchie Law Group represents Missourifamilies in a wide range of matters related to child support.

Child Support Hearing Document — St. Joseph, MO — Ritchie, Soper & Schutt, LLC

Child support is usually defined as the money that a noncustodial parent is ordered to pay. This money provides resources necessary for the care of a child. In your divorce, the court may address several different issues related to child support:

How much a parent is to pay for child support
When child support is due
How often child support is due
Health insurance
Medical costs
Other costs

A LAW FIRM YOU CAN TRUST TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS IN A DIVORCE

At The Ritchie Law Group, we understand that times are often difficult when you are going through a divorce. That is why you need someone you can trust to explain, assert and protect your rights. We understand that you may be experiencing difficult times and facing challenging decisions during your divorce. Our goal is to guide you through the process with aggressive advocacy and level-headed advice. Depending on your needs, your divorce may involve a wide range of issues:

Child custody and visitation
Child support
Maintenance (also called alimony or spousal support)
Division of marital property and debt

We understand the moral and spiritual dilemmas of a person facing divorce. At The Ritchie Law Group, we are sensitive to your faith and beliefs. If you and your spouse are having trouble, you may want to explore alternatives to divorce, like a legal separation or marital counseling. If divorce is inevitable, there are alternative ways to resolve the conflict, such as mediation. Feel free to discuss these alternatives with our attorneys.

EXPERIENCED LEGAL GUIDANCE IN ESTABLISHING LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP

A guardianship can be an effective way of protecting a child or adult at risk. It grants legal responsibility and decision-making power to the guardian but, unlike adoption, it is not permanent and does not necessarily terminate the rights of the birth parents. The family law attorneys at The Ritchie Law Group, have helped countless families in Missouri navigate the process of establishing legal guardianship.

Guardianship Book With Gavel — St. Joseph, MO — Ritchie, Soper & Schutt, LLC

WHAT IS GUARDIANSHIP? WHO CAN BE A GUARDIAN?

Guardianships are often sought when one party considers another unfit, unable or unwilling to properly parent a child. The party seeking guardianship may be a relative or a family friend. Often, it is a grandparent who sees his or her grandson or granddaughter being raised in a bad environment — like one involving alcoholism, addiction, mental illness or abusive relationships. These grandparents seek our help to protect the grandchildren they love.

In Missouri, the law on grandparents’ rights is constantly evolving. Grandparents who are denied visitation with a child may later petition the court for limited visitation rights or to have their case reconsidered. At The Ritchie Law Group, our lawyers maintain a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of current laws about guardianships including laws regarding elder guardianships and visitation rights.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY

Many people assume that having the father’s name on the birth certificate gives him legal rights. It doesn’t. Listing the name on the birth certificate only creates a presumption that he is the father. If the child was born outside of marriage, a parent should talk to a lawyer about legally establishing paternity of the child and the rights and responsibilities that go along with it.

The attorneys at The Ritchie Law Group understand the role that fathers play in the lives of their children. They also understand the desire of both parents to be actively involved with their children. For this reason, our law firm represents parents in paternity actions. We work with both mothers and fathers who need legal advice and representation involving paternity. Sometimes, these are parents who have a child born out of wedlock and need to resolve a child support, custody or visitation dispute. Other times, paternity becomes an issue in a divorce.

WHAT IS PATERNITY?

Paternity establishes a legal relationship between a father and his child. Although an affidavit of paternity establishes the identity of the father of the child, it does not provide for child custody and visitation or child support. To address these issues, a separate court order must be sought by filing a motion in Missouri family law courts, or the parents can create an agreement through mediation.