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Cordell & Cordell
Alimony Law Independence

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Alimony Law Independence

In some instances, a wife will ask for alimony: the court-ordered payment to your wife after the dissolution of marriage.

Office Location Information

4200 Little Blue Parkway
Suite 550
Independence, MO 64057

8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Directions

Where Is The Independence Office? The Independence office is located at 4200 Little Blue Parkway in Suite 550. Drivers should take Exit 17 off of I-70, just east of Missouri Hwy. 291. You can’t miss our landmark 6 story “blue” building with what looks like white tents out front.

Parking: You’ll find free parking in the Blue Ridge Bank and Trust Co. parking lot. After parking, you will need to come in through the front door of the bank and go straight ahead to the elevators, go to the 5th floor and we have glass doors to your left when you get off of the elevator.

Contact Our Offices

If you made more money during the marriage, there is a good chance your wife will seek alimony. The bigger the difference in earnings and the longer you were married, the larger the alimony payment will be.

Will Alimony be Awarded?

Will Alimony be Awarded?

Whether or not alimony is awarded will largely be determined by the difference between you and your wife’s earnings, as well as the length of the marriage.
Man holding calculator

How Much Will I Pay?

There is a high level of inconsistency in spousal support decisions. Calculation methods vary from state to state and even county to county.
man signing Alimony paperwork

When Will Alimony End?

In general, alimony will likely stop if the receiving party gets remarried, cohabits, or dies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to live in Independence before I can file for divorce?

You must live in the county you want to file in for at least three months to file for a divorce without children.

For divorces involving children, the children must live in the county for six months.

Is there a mandatory waiting period in Independence before a divorce can be granted? How long will a divorce take?
There is a mandatory waiting period of 30 days after the filing of the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

Generally, once a Petition for Dissolution is filed, it will take from three to six months from filing to Judgment. It will take longer if the case is highly contested.

How can I serve my spouse in Independence? If attempts to serve do not work, can I serve by publication?

The Rules of Civil Procedure require personal service if possible. The court will expect you to make reasonable efforts to determine the whereabouts of parties to be served.

Personal service may be made by either the sheriff in the county where the party being served resides or by a personal process server. The circuit clerk will prepare the summons to be served by the sheriff or the private process server.

Service may be requested by certified mail or by publication in certain situations once an affidavit is filed and a Judge rules that it is appropriate.

If it is appropriate to serve a party by publication, it is your responsibility to contact the publisher of a newspaper of general circulation in the county where your case is filed to arrange for publication.

What are the specific forms I will need to file for a divorce in Jackson County and Cass County?

Jackson County forms needed:

– Petition for Dissolution
– Certificate of Dissolution
– Motion for Order for Approval and Appointment of Process Server
– Form 17
– Form 15

Cass County forms needed:

– Petition for Dissolution
– Certificate of Dissolution
– Motion for Order for Approval and Appointment of Process Server

Where do I file for divorce in Jackson County and Cass County?

Jackson County Circuit Court
Circuit Clerk
415 E. 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64106

Eastern Jackson County
Circuit Clerk
308 West Kansas
Independence, MO 64050

Cass County Justice Center
Circuit Clerk
2501 W. Wall Street
Harrisonville, Missouri 64701

How much are filing fees at the county courthouses?

Filing fees change often, but currently Jackson County charges $159 and Cass County charges $150.

Are there any Independence-Specific laws that are different from how other family law cases around the state are handled?

Generally, all cases throughout Independence are handled the same way county to county. There are no major differences.