Emancipation is a legal process in which a minor child is freed from the control of their parents, and the parents are no longer held responsible for the child’s actions or well-being.
In Missouri, the normal age of emancipation is 18, but sometimes, a parent or child may desire to sever those ties earlier.
David Betz was great to work with. He was patient, listened carefully, and was able to make non-biased, rational recommendations that both parties would agree to. I could tell he has a lot of mediation experience as he cut right through the emotional vomit and laid out the facts. His wisdom greatly expedited a resolution to my case and avoided a costly trial. I would highly recommend the Betz Law Firm to anyone seeking a sensible, professional mediation experience.
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I experienced a very difficult divorce process 6 years ago. There's no need to get into the details, but calling it difficult is quite an understatement. My now former spouse had unlimited funds for attorney's fees, and I did not. The whole process took 20 months from start to finish.
My primary concern was for the future of both children. David made his decisions on facts and what he believed to be best for the kids. He did an incredible job of remaining objective amidst all the distractions and what I'll call the antics of the other three attorneys, yes, three attorneys employed by the opposing side at different times during the 20 months.
David's recommendations to the judge never wavered from what was best for the kids. I am writing this review now because I can definitely state that David's recommendations were what was best for the kids. The kids are now 17 and 15, and they are thriving. Yes, I did my part as a parent, but I would never have had the chance to do so without the intelligence and integrity of David. He has the right combination of life experience, courage, and intelligence to earn the trust of anyone representing their children. I cannot say enough good things about David's commitment to being an exemplary GAL.
I will close by saying that I am a paramedic and have been for a long time. Paramedics judge each other on whether we would want a particular paramedic working on our children in an emergency. Using that benchmark, I trust David to work on behalf of my kids, and if you have the opportunity to have David represent your children, you can trust him to advocate for the most vulnerable individuals in a divorce who need protection the most.
I contacted the Betz Law Firm to handle changing my name this year.
The firm was very professional and returned my inquiry quickly. I worked with Debbye and she handled everything with accuracy and kindness.
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Attorney David Betz was appointed Guardian ad Litem to represent my minor child during a highly contested divorce proceeding. Attorney Betz developed a structured and safe plan during the proceeding and recommended a final arrangement that was in the best interest of my minor child to keep him protected and ensure his safety.
David was very helpful and respectful all around. He took the time to hear my Son’s concerns and made him feel comfortable sharing these concerns. He was always on time and ready to handle our case, always prepared. I appreciate that, to me it shows that he really does care about the families he’s helping. I highly recommend him if you are considering a GAL for your case.
I appreciate Mr. Betz taking the time and effort to get to know everyone, especially including by being a part of depositions, and helping to facilitate an opportunity for us to move forward amicably in a co-parenting dynamic. I would recommend him.
I have known David for many years, working on cases and outside of work. He is a fantastic advocate, has high standards, is well respected and sticks to his principles. He gets the struggles parents can face raising kids these days. I really admire his courage and how he fights to make a positive difference in people's lives, especially for his clients.
The Betz law firm did an amazing and efficient job executing on my non-contested divorce. My ex drug his feet and the law firm kept on him and even was prepared to go forward with a non-response judgement. My ex responded the day before we went for a non-responsive judgement and agreed, finally. The judge signed off within the week and I was notified via email that my divorce was final a few days prior to receiving the email. I never had to go to their office or to court to face my ex. From start to finish, this took 6 months almost to the day. Again, my ex drug his feet, this could have probably gone faster. Thank you Debbye Laskey for keeping the paperwork straight and to Mr. Betz for the legal components.
Mr. Betz is an exceptional attorney who has been an advisor for me and represented many of my clients. He is well respected within the legal community and trusted by all.
David and his team are excellent to work with. The care, expertise, along with the ease and frequency of communications always kept me well informed and aware of the status of my situation. I cannot recommend The Betz Law Firm enough and I won’t hesitate to call them again in the future if I ever require their services again.
Mr Betz worked with both of us for us with our mediation, no matter how frustrating she was becoming. He handled the situation very calmly and professionally. Thank you for helping it come to a resolution.
I have worked with Mr. Betz a number of times and have always found him to be a wonderful GAL and mediator. He does the work, gets things done, and cares about the tasks and people involved. I highly recommend him as both a GAL and mediator.
I hired the services of David Betz for purposes of getting a name change and him and his paralegal Debbye were professional, answered emails promptly, and were able to handle a complication in my case with no problems. Would highly recommend Mr. Betz.
David was very professional and helpful for our child during a recent litigation. I would highly recommend his firm for GAL service or attorney service!
I was very impressed with Mr. Betz’s service. He was the GAL for my children. He was very professional, fair-but-caring and advocated tireless for the children’s best interests. He took his time to talk to them about their wishes, giving us sound advice and guided us through an otherwise contentious process. I appreciated his professionalism, ethics and would highly recommend him.
My son and I have worked with David Betz for several years in custody matters concerning my grandson. I have found him to be genuinely concerned with our situation and responsive to our needs. He listens carefully and handles matters promptly. He is realistic in evaluating situations and helps us to arrive at the best possible alternatives. I highly recommend him for family law matters.
I am a transfeminine nonbinary person that used The Betz Firm to get my name changed. They were extremely affirming, and excited to work with me through this as it was an immensely huge deal for me. Thank you Betz Firm, for making this a reality for me!
Joel and David are extremely helpful and helped with everything I needed. They are kind and worked with me with all of my needs regarding my case! I would recommend to everyone!
The emancipation laws in St. Louis are of particular importance to parents who are receiving child support from a non-custodial parent. While some child support orders cease when the child becomes automatically emancipated on their 18th birthday, many will continue if the supported child attends college or another secondary schooling beyond that time.
The financial support for children who suffer from mental or physical disabilities can also be extended past the age of 18. Our firm can help a custodial parent petition for an extension of support in these special circumstances.
When is a Child Considered to be Emancipated?
A child can be considered emancipated in St. Louis County in different ways. Besides reaching their 18th birthday, a minor is considered emancipated if:
They enter into military service. This includes all branches of the United States Military.
They have gotten married. While consent from the parents is required in Missouri for a minor to be legally married, that minor is considered emancipated once they are.
The child voluntarily becomes emancipated. A minor of at least 16 years of age can petition a Missouri court for emancipation from their parents. Our firm’s emancipation lawyers have helped children and parents with these proceedings.
What is Emancipation?
Parents are legally and financially responsible for their children until they have become emancipated. This includes providing food, shelter, education, and health care. Once a child has become emancipated, they are responsible for caring for all that on their own.
An emancipated child has rights similar to that of an adult. Without parental permission, they can:
Sign legal documents and enter into legally binding contracts. This allows them to sign rental agreements and apply for credit.
Pick their own educational path. An emancipated minor is allowed to choose which school to attend.
Be a defendant or plaintiff in civil court proceedings.
Keep any income earned from a job and carry a work permit.
There are still some limits on what emancipated minors are allowed to do. For example, they cannot quit school, purchase or drink alcohol, vote, or get a driver’s license before they reach the proper age.
How to Obtain Emancipation
In St. Louis, a minor seeking emancipation from their parents must first file a petition with the family court system. The petition must include a valid reason for the emancipation request, details about their living situation, and proof that they are or will be self-sufficient financially. The parents will then be notified and have the right to dispute the emancipation petition. Our team of family law attorneys can help both sides come to a reasonable solution.
Minors seeking emancipation should expect to attend a special hearing, where a judge will review the evidence and make a decision based on the child’s best interests. If the petition is granted, the newly emancipated child will be issued a Declaration of Emancipation. Copies of this legal document will be needed wherever parental consent was previously necessary.
Emancipation and Child Support
If a minor child does become an emancipated adult before reaching their 18th birthday, child support payments will not stop automatically. The paying parent must request a change in support and present evidence to prove that the minor is now living as an independent adult.
These are complex issues in the family court system that require special care and attention to resolve. As experienced emancipation lawyers, our firm is well advised of all the legalities involved in emancipation in St. Louis and its implications for child support payments. We have the experience necessary to ensure that the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of all the parties involved.
St. Louis Emancipation Lawyers
Making changes in support and custody orders is not a simple process, even with an emancipated minor. Those orders were drawn after very careful consideration from a St. Louis judge and were put in place to protect your child’s interests. As a firm specializing in family law, we deeply respect and understand these issues and always put the child’s well-being above anything else.
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