WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE.

Let us be your voice, your adviser and your advocate.

Attorneys Guiding You Through Difficult Divorce Issues

Divorce is among the most important – and intensive – legal steps in life. A divorce case addresses emotional issues, and it has a far-reaching impact on many aspects of life. It can be a draining and stressful process.

Our divorce attorneys at Grant, Miller & Smith, LLC, strive to alleviate the emotional strain and uncertainty that divorce often brings. In providing strategic, step-by-step family law guidance, they can help make the process as painless as possible. Throughout the St. Louis metro, our team has served as a valuable legal resource to countless individuals and families struggling with divorce concerns.

Understanding The Benefits Our Representation Provides

The outcome of your divorce can have lasting repercussions on your relationships with your loved ones and your financial well-being. With these and other issues at stake, it makes sense to work with skilled legal professionals who are intimately familiar with the laws that may affect the outcome of your divorce settlement and know how to navigate legal procedures.

In Missouri, court staff is available to answer general questions about the legal process for uncontested and contested divorces, deadlines and other general information. What they can not do is help you determine whether you bring your case to court or build a case for you if you decide to ask for the court’s intervention in your matter. Without skilled counsel, you could inadvertently jeopardize your case. If you try to save money by representing yourself in your divorce matter, this strategy could end up costing you in the future.

When you retain our firm, we will seek out the most efficient and effective approach for your legal concerns. We bring decades of family law experience to each case we take. This insight matters when the terms of your property division agreement, your parenting rights and your financial obligations are on the line. We will handle all legal aspects of your issue so that you can focus on the people and things that you value.

Do You Need Assistance With Temporary Orders?

Finalizing a divorce can take months or longer to conclude. During this time, bills continue to accrue, leaving you with many financial obligations to meet. If you are not the primary wage earner in your household, you may need to secure a temporary financial support order to address your pressing financial needs. Missouri judges regularly issue court orders to help individuals pay their mortgages, car loans and other expenses before the terms of their property division, child support and alimony agreements are settled.

If you are a parent pursuing divorce, you may also seek out a temporary custody arrangement to minimize the impact that divorce proceedings have on your child’s emotional and mental well-being. Judges consider a range of factors when determining living arrangements.

These considerations may include:

  • Your child’s wishes
  • Both parents’ wishes
  • Your child’s physical and emotional needs
  • Each parent’s ability to care for the child

If there is a history of child neglect or abuse, the family court judge may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent your child in proceedings. Reports filed by the guardian ad litem may shape the terms of the temporary custody agreement.

Protecting Your Assets And Financial Security

Divorce has the potential to destroy the financial picture you have worked hard to build. It can take a costly toll on your assets and goals. However, the right attorney can help you find creative ways to minimize the expense of divorce and protect your property interests.

Our lawyers are well-equipped to provide valuable guidance on property division, spousal maintenance (alimony), family-owned businesses, child support and other financial aspects of divorce. They have experience handling complex, high-asset cases with much at stake.

Whether you suspect that your soon-to-be-ex is hiding assets or devaluing their worth, our lawyers will assemble a legal team that can determine the fair value of your shared assets, property and debt. We regularly work with tax experts, forensic accountants, business valuators and other professionals to trace, assess and evaluate financial accounts here in the United States and overseas.

Countless business owners, professionals, executives and families from all walks of life have relied on us to secure optimal terms in property division agreements. Whether your property division concerns are complex or straightforward in nature, you can rely on us to aggressively assert your rights in negotiation sessions or litigation.

Minimizing The Impact Of Divorce On Your Children

When a divorcing couple has minor children, shielding them from any detrimental effects of divorce is a paramount concern. Our attorneys understand how to ease this often difficult transition for children. Lawyers William Grant and Henry Miller are former guardians ad litem (court-appointed advocates for children). Their thorough understanding of Missouri child custody law – especially the legal standards regarding the best interests of children – makes them two of the area’s leading lawyers in this field.

As your advocates, our attorneys will pursue child custody terms that ease your child’s transition to his or her new stage in life. Should unplanned life changes affect your ability to adhere to the terms of your child custody order, our attorneys are also qualified to petition for modifications in the future.

Distilling An Approach Geared Toward Success

There is no single formula for achieving success in a divorce case. Much depends on your circumstances, priorities and goals.

The attorneys at Grant, Miller & Smith, LLC, appreciate the unique nature of your situation, which is why they do not rely on cookie-cutter strategies when building your case. They will work with you to sort through the many factors at play in your legal matter and, from those, distill an effective approach. They are well-versed in collaborative methods for resolving disputes. And as accomplished trial lawyers, they are equipped to advance your interest through litigation if needed.

Get A Proven Legal Ally In Your Corner

You do not need to face your divorce matter alone. We are here and ready to help. You can easily arrange a private consultation with a knowledgeable divorce attorney at Grant, Miller & Smith, LLC, by calling 314-492-8878 or sending us an email.

Our offices are conveniently located in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri.

Answering Your Top Divorce Questions

Navigating Missouri’s divorce process can be challenging even in the most amicable of circumstances. At Grant, Miller & Smith, LLC, we want to help you find answers so that you can ease your uncertainty and protect your rights throughout your legal journey.

Please read our answers to questions that our attorneys regularly hear during consultations. If you are still unsure of your options, do not hesitate to reach out to us to arrange your private consultation.

How long do divorce proceedings take?

It depends. Each family’s set of circumstances is different, so it makes sense that each case will conclude on its own schedule. In general, when both parties agree to terms, the process can be streamlined. For example, an uncontested divorce can be finalized in as little as 45 to 60 days.

When children and complex assets are involved in the split, these factors can complicate the process. Both parties will need to agree to terms for custody, financial orders of support and property division. If they can’t, it can take considerably longer to resolve a divorce dispute in court. A contested divorce may take six months, but it can extend beyond a year in highly acrimonious situations.

Will my inheritance be subject to property division when I divorce?

No. Inheritance is not considered marital property, which refers to possessions, assets or other properties acquired during a marriage.

Do I need to divide my pension with my spouse?

You might. Unlike an inheritance, a pension or retirement benefits could be considered marital property. If your employer added to your pension during your marriage, you could be required to share your pension with your soon-to-be-ex.

This can be a difficult issue to resolve without an attorney’s help. We can advise you on your options whether your pension is vested or unvested.

What elements of a divorce decree can be modified?

The terms of child support, child custody and visitation agreements can be modified to reflect a change in circumstances. Spousal maintenance may be modified unless the parties agreed to a nonmodifiable agreement. The terms of the property division agreement cannot be modified.

Before you sign the terms of your agreement, it is critical to have an attorney review the terms of your contract to see if they serve your best interests.

Do You Have Other Questions? Contact Us For Assistance.

Connect with our firm by completing our contact form or by calling 314-492-8878.