Many St. Louis couples choose legal separation as a step before divorce, exploring this option to address issues while considering their future. Learn about the benefits of legal separation.
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.
Unfortunately, I found myself in a difficult situation and in need of mediation; Mr. Betz stepped up with only a moments notice. My previous experience with mediation was horrific, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the experience with Mr. Betz. His calm demeanor and efficiency was greatly appreciated, not to mention his willingness to step into an unknown situation and make it better, so very thankful.
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.
Everything was handled quickly and easily. Debbye displayed her excellent knowledge of the process as she walked me through everything. Overall, they took great care of me. Truly a white glove experience! I cannot recommend Betz highly enough and will be back to any future legal needs.
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!
Most St. Louis couples find it difficult to decide to divorce. Tensions and emotions are high, and moving forward alone can overwhelm both partners. Our firm recognizes the turmoil in these couples and will often recommend that they try a legal separation before filing for a permanent dissolution of their marriage.
The final result is the difference between a legal separation and a divorce in St. Louis. While a couple could potentially remain married yet legally separated for years, the dissolution of marriage is a permanent termination of the marriage license. Besides, all other factors normally found in a divorce petition, such as child custody, support issues, and property division, still exist. Our firm has years of experience helping couples considering a legal separation agree on how to proceed.
Why a Legal Separation Instead of Divorce?
We have dealt with numerous couples with varying reasons for wanting a legal separation over a divorce. Some hold onto the hope that the marriage will be salvageable later. For these couples, we take great care to ensure that the needs of both partners are considered to pave the way towards reconciliation in the future. For some, it is a solution to a seemingly temporary situation, such as substance abuse, where one partner feels it is in their best interest to separate themselves financially from their significant other until the problem is resolved.
Other cases we have helped with involve partners relying on each other’s health insurance policies. Since benefits for a spouse are terminated after a dissolution of marriage, a couple will sometimes cooperate and file for a legal separation, which often will not affect the spouse’s eligibility for medical care through their partner’s health insurance.
In a situation where one spouse is opposed to divorce based on religious or moral beliefs, they may file for a legal separation while their partner files for a divorce. In this instance, the judge presiding over your case will have to decide on which petition to grant based on the evidence presented to him.
Proving Incompatibility
If one partner is opposed to legal separation and would prefer a marriage dissolution, he or she may be required to show evidence that the union has been irretrievably broken. There are some circumstances that a spouse can present to convince a judge that there is no hope for reconciliation:
Suppose the party seeking a divorce over a legal separation can provide proof of infidelity in the marriage and show cause as to why this is intolerable to them. In that case, the legal separation petition will be discarded, and the divorce proceedings will be allowed to proceed.
When it can be proven that the partner petitioning for legal separation has acted in such a way that it is intolerable for the spouse to continue living with them.
If the spouse has abandoned his partner and family for 6 months or longer or continuously.
Both parties consented to the agreement and lived separately for at least a year before the petition was filed.
The couple lived separately for at least two years before the petition without the consent of one partner.
A spouse seeking a contested legal separation should note that after three months of being declared legally separated, their spouse can obtain a dissolution of marriage.
In these situations, our firm stresses the importance of both partners trying to work together towards an amicable solution through mediation, especially when minor children’s needs must be considered.
Legal Separation Issues
The same concerns surrounding a divorce petition exist with a legal separation. If there are minors involved, child custody and support agreements will have to be reached. It is not unusual for a St. Louis family law judge to order that counseling be obtained for the children or to insist that the parents attempt to work out their differences in mediation.
We understand that a legal separation is a devastating time for parents and children and assumes a personal role in all parties’ well-being. Through years of experience, we have found that the best resolutions to issues involving your children will be found by using mediation with your co-parent.
The issues that must be addressed in a divorce petition also apply to a legal separation. These can include:
Property Distribution: In St. Louis, if the couple cannot reach a mutual agreement about the division of joint property, the Missouri court will distribute it for them in an equitable, but not necessarily equal, manner. The family court judge will consider certain factors, such as each partner’s financial circumstances, each partner’s contribution to the acquisition of property, and the conduct of both parties.
Spousal Support: Legal separation allows for spousal support just as a divorce decree will. Our firm has helped countless spouses obtain additional financial support from their former partners even after a legal separation petition has been granted.
St. Louis Legal Separation Lawyer
Although deciding on a legal separation is never easy, many couples have already discussed this option together. It’s a challenging time for a family that has to make tough decisions while living apart. We understand the unique needs of you and your loved ones and will always do everything in our power to help ease this difficult time for your family. Get in touch with a St. Louis Legal Separation Lawyer at our Missouri Family Law Office to ensure your family’s needs are met.
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