Divorce Law Independence

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.

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.

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

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