BUSINESS CONNECTION LEGAL CORNER
Keep It Neighborly BY ROBYN DEXTER
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EIGHBORS CAN BE A HOMEOWNER’S best friend–or their worst enemy. People living in close quarters to each other can hit a few bumps in the road every now and then, but issues can almost always be worked out peacefully and productively. There are a variety of things neighbors can get into small disputes about; but occasionally, the disagreement builds to the point of suing. Jeff Schmitt, an attorney with Danna McKitrick, says most of the neighbor disputes he sees are over property boundaries. “People should know that this is not a typical business transaction where you only deal with somebody one time,” Schmitt says. “You could Continued on page 52
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I Don’t Want A Divorce St a n g e L a w F i r m , P C
Divorce can often happen in cases where one party does not want it. In some cases, one party very much wants to save their marriage. Maybe they didn’t see the divorce coming. Maybe they saw it coming, but they are convinced it is a marriage that can be saved. The question regardless of the situation is what is a party to do? Do they consent to the divorce because their spouse doesn’t want to remain married? Do they contest the divorce itself and either hope that the judge denies the divorce or that their spouse has a change of heart? This is a complex question that is going to be based on the facts and the desires of any party. On one hand, if the court finds that a marriage is not irretrievably broken, and there is no misconduct or cause, in many states, a judge
has the authority to deny the divorce. On the other hand, in this day and age, it is a fairly rare occurrence for a judge to deny a divorce where one party desperately wants it. This is especially true where the parties are not engaging in sexual relations, are separated and not acting as husband and wife. At the end of the day, one has to carefully consider their desire to save the marriage versus the desire of the other party to end it. In some cases, absence can make the heart grow fonder. Thus, if the party who doesn’t want the divorce gives their spouse some space and time, there are cases where parties have a change of heart or decide that counseling might work. But in cases where that doesn’t happen, is it wise to contest the divorce and ask a judge to make a determination at trial
about whether the marriage will be dissolved or not? In many cases, this is often an undesirable solution because a contested hearing (where allegations are aired in open court) is rarely a way to bring healing to a marriage. If you are going through a divorce or thinking about it, join Stange Law Firm, PC at their Divorce 101 Seminar. The seminar will be held on May 5, 2015 at the Hampton Inn in Sunset Hills, Missouri at 7pm on Missouri Law and May 6, 2015 at the Hampton Inn in Springfield, Illinois at 7pm on Illinois Law. To register for this free event, visit divorce101seminar.net.
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STANGE LAW FIRM P C
Stange Law Firm, PC St. Louis County Office 1750 South Brentwood Blvd., Suite 401 St. Louis, MO 63144 Phone: 314.963.4700 West County Office 16024 Manchster Road,, Suite 103 Ellisville, MO 63011 Phone: 636.200.6400 www.stangelawfirm.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Neither the Supreme Court of Missouri/Illinois nor The Missouri/Illinois Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations. The information you obtain in this advertisement is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results afford no guarantee of
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future results and every case is different and must be judged on its merits.
{LadueNews.com} APRIL 24, 2015
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