Limited Representation - The Third Option for Divorcing Couples

The Missouri Supreme Court has given its residents a third option for divorcing couples - besides hiring a lawyer at his or her regular hourly fee or representing yourself. They call that third option "Limited Representation."

For people who have relatively simple, straightforward issues in their dissolution of marriage action, this alternative offers a great way to get a divorce with as little hassle as possible. And, you know upfront exactly what you are paying for and what the cost is.

Even if you and your spouse have children this option may work for you if both parents agree as to the schedule on which you will be parenting the children. If both parents have agreed to abide by the child support amount that the Missouri Supreme Court has set out, you just need to tell the lawyer that you need to have a child support calculation done as a part of your limited representation.

There are, as you might suppose, situations in which limited representation will not serve you well. Examples of situations where limited representation may not serve you well are:

(1) if you or your spouse have a house, a retirement plan or other significant assets,

(2) If you have an issue with regard to parenting your children - whether that issue is the amount of time that each of you will spend with the children or whether the issue involves special needs of a child, or

(3) if you have a long marriage and one of the spouses needs alimony (called maintenance in Missouri).