Best way to get divorced in Missouri?

I’m a mom of a 3 year old boy. My husband and I separated about 5 months ago and have yet to get a divorce filed. I would really like to get it done asap and without a lot of money put into it. Stb ex husband and agree on nearly everything that would be in our divorce papers, it’s just a matter of filing. I need advice on what to do, how to go about it. We live in Missouri.

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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Best way to get divorced in Missouri?

Legal shield can help with low cost divorce.

Definitely consult an attorney and try to settle in a mediation. You will save so much time and $ by doing mediation plus you actually get a say in what is being ordered vs having to leave everything up to a judge to order. I do not recommend trying to do this on your own without an attorney with children involved.

First step would be to go to the court house in your county and find out exactly what papers need to be filed and the cost to file them. Bring home a copy of the papers so you can look through them. You can also ask the court house to provide you with a list of low cost divorce lawyers.

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You need to see a lawyer. :woman_facepalming:
FB isn’t helpful bc state laws & requirements vary.

You can do it yourself if you’re good with your parenting plan and separated everything. 200 in the county I live in, in MO

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Mediator… but the cheapest way if both parties agree you can print paperwork and filled with court

You don’t need a lawyer if you guys agree go file the papers you’ll then get a court date and it can be finalized then and there it’s how I did it in Nevada because there was no arguing when they asked what we wanted everything was mutual.

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You can always file an uncontested divorce and have someone draw up the agreements. Not sure of the filing fee there but it’s the cheapest and easiest way to go about it if you two are in agreement on everything.

I didn’t need a lawyer for mine! I just went to the courthouse

I live in Missouri.
I paid $1500 for my divorce
I went to family lawyer and everything was done by affidavit because there was no dispute.

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I’m in MO. You can print the papers yourself & fill them out. Do 4 copies of everything just to be safe. And there are 40+ pages to the packet if I recall. Use blue ink to sign each one & get a notary. Split the cost of filing. It’s under $100. It can be done! Good luck. And so glad yall are amical durning this separation.

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Same way that the rest of the world did lawyer :rofl::joy::rofl:

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There are forms and if you agree on the terms, you maybe able to just file yourself. Every state is different! I did the paper work myself. Cost about $400 in NJ.

I went the desolation route but both have to agree on the terms

File for a dissolution. There should be a website where you can print the papers through the court. You BOTH fill one out. I’m not sure about there but when I did it, with kids being involved, you may have to attend a parenting class.

I didn’t need a lawyer nor did he. We live in Missouri and as long as everything is agreed on you can print the papers online, fill them out, get notarized together, take them to court house, we paid 97.00 and it was done within 30 days.

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I’m in Indiana, but I have to say, be very careful doing this without representation. My ex and I also agreed and were very amicable, however, that changed once he got a new girlfriend and now I’ve spent $15,000 in legal fees getting things in writing in regards to our custody agreement and child support. I never thought I would have to do that considering how agreeable we were in the beginning, but it came back to bite me. I could have spent $1500-$2000 on an attorney to handle it to begin with and save a lot of money and frustration.

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File at the courthouse

if you have a limited income, & there are public defenders, use them, I used one for my divorce due to lack of money on my part & his & there was nothing to split, I also got custody of my kids, I had temporary custody until then. My divorce was an 18 month separation (back in 1974)

In my state I went to the court house and asked for dissolution of marriage affidavit and if you both agree you will have to pay the fees for filing and go to a notary to sign the papers. Then you file for a court date the judge looks at it and signs a decree. But you may need to be separated a certain time period first.

Go to the court house and file for the divorce paperwork and just because he says agrees to everything doesn’t necessarily mean he will once the paperwork is filed.

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Ain’t that the 'SHOW ME " STate

I live in Louisiana & I filed my own paperwork. I used a template I pulled offline & I used my parents divorce papers as a guide…. I wrote it up, went to the clerk of court & filed it & was issued an appearance date…. Cost us each $200. I’m sure Missouri has similar system.

You just have to file.
Unfortunately, because there is a child involved, you will more than likely have to go to court to get custody/child support established

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In Michigan you can go online if you agree on everything and get it done quickly. I think that is true in Virginia too. Google it online for Missouri. You will have a court date because of the child but I think that usually happens quickly if you agree on everything. They may even do it online via Zoom or similar app.

My ex and I went in together, filled out the papers together, paid the fee and got a court date. They usually have a law library and they will show you the forms you need to file out.

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Best advice is probably to start with the courthouse.

If you’ve both decided to separate and have decided and agreed on splitting marital property, custody, support etc, you may be able to simply file paperwork with the courts.

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Sorry I’m from the land of the long white cloud.NZ.here most couples just go there own separate ways.and most still remain friends.

Call the clerk of the family law court and see if they provide any free assistance with Divorce and Child Custody paperwork. If you have any questions about the papers you need to fill out, get an attorney. What may be an agreement now over the divorce and how things are to be split and as to child custody can turn south and head straight into the toilet in no time so move on this and don’t drag your feet. You need paperwork for the divorce but even more important, the child custody and child support agreement between you two must also be reduced to a writing, can be included within your MSA, must be filed with the court and entered by the court, with an order returned to both of you. You both need copies of that entered order. If you need help and cannot afford an attorney, seek out a paralegal with divorce and child custody experience to help you.

Usually there is a different set of forms for uncontested divorce . Google your county courthouse website and check the records section. They usually have fill in the blank style forms then you both sign it and one of you files.

You can file online if you both agree

How about go to counseling and work things out?! People don’t take their vows seriously anymore and there is a child involved. Try to work things out before just giving up. SMH