Family matters are some of the most difficult and stressful legal matters for anyone to face. The outcome of a family law case can dramatically affect your relationships, lifestyle, and financial situation for years to come.

As a dedicated Missouri Family Lawyer, my firm can help you in your time of uncertainty, and guide you through the legal process with effective and cost-efficient representation in Kansas City and the surrounding counties. In cases where filing for divorce is the most appropriate action, we will proceed with a balance of diligence, compassion, and skill.

The experience of going through a divorce can be very difficult. We believe one thing that can make life easier for you is understanding what to expect every step of the way.

My firm is committed to providing the highest quality of legal service, and keeping our clients as informed as possible in order to achieve the best outcome. We truly care about every client we serve, and are here to help you with your family's unique legal needs.

Contact my firm today if you or a loved one needs legal assistance with any of the following:

• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Child Visitation
• Spousal Support (Alimony)
• Modifications
• Divorce Mediation
• Paternity
• Property and Debt Division
• Prenuptial Agreements

Picking the right lawyer to handle your family law case is a very personal choice to make. My firm handles a broad range of cases, and we will always work with you to ensure that every decision made is in your best interest. We also understand that family law matters can be cross-disciplinary.

If you or a loved one in Kansas City or the surrounding counties needs the help of an experienced Missouri Family Lawyer, call Shannon A. Sorensen today at 816-607-3757, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Divorce:
A court of law is the only way one can obtain a divorce decree, dissolution, legal separation, nullity or other form of terminating a marriage. Other than the termination of the marital estate, the court also has jurisdiction to resolve other issues that are intertwined in the existing marriage which include, but are not limited to: custody and visitation rights, division of property of the marital estate, spousal support, child support, restraining orders, etc.

Child Custody:
Custody is the charge and control of a child, including the right to make all major decisions such as education, religious upbringing, training, health and welfare. Custody usually refers to a combination of physical custody and legal custody. Many factors influence an award of custody and the way a case is presented in court can have a large impact on the result for you and your children. If you are awarded the children as a primary custodial parent, it has far reaching consequences both to you and to their well-being and development.

Child Support:
Child support is a periodic payment made to a custodial parent from a non-custodial parent to help compensate a child's living expenses, i.e. food, clothes, etc., and any other related debts. When one parent is awarded sole custody, as in the event of a divorce, the non-custodial parent is required to fulfill his or her child support obligation by making set payments, whereas the custodial parent meets his or her support obligation through the custody itself. When parents are awarded joint custody in a divorce, however, the support obligation is shared and is based on a ratio of each parent's income and the amount of time the child spends with each parent.

The obligation to support minor children cannot be waived by either parent and is a right enjoyed by the child, not the parent. Each state has guidelines that factor the amount of child support, such as the amount of time spent with the child, the income of both parents and the standard of living the child is accustomed to. ; The court may allow deductions for items such as catastrophic medical expenses and travel expenses for visitation.

Spousal Support (Alimony):
Alimony is temporary or permanent financial support paid from one separated spouse to the other, either in one lump sum or in installments. ; Alimony is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses over and above the money provided by child support.  Alimony differs from child support because it is at the discretion of the judge. Child support is usually determined by state-sanctioned guidelines.

There are several factors a judge considers when deciding whether to grant alimony. These differ from state to state, of course, but they usually involve things like the parties' relative ability to earn money, both now and in the future; their respective age and health; the length of the marriage; the kind of property involved, and the conduct of the parties. In general, about the only time a judge will award alimony in most states is where one spouse has been economically dependent on the other spouse for most of a lengthy marriage.

Divorce Mediation:
The basic attitude marking divorce mediation is a focus on solving problems, not fighting the fight. Family mediation is a voluntary process which gives a divorcing or separating couple the opportunity to make their own arrangements for their financial and personal future, while protecting themselves and their children from distress and the needless expense of litigation. The strength of a mediated agreement is that it is built by both parties together in an open process that requires all participants to recognize and make accommodation for the needs of the other participants, often without having to compromise one’s own.

While no two situations are alike, the emphasis in a mediated approach is to achieve a satisfactory settlement in an efficient, cooperative manner. This might include "four-way" settlement conferences where the parties meet along with their divorce mediation lawyers to work on a settlement. The philosophy of Divorce Mediation is that as much effort should be exerted toward settlement as is traditionally spent in preparation for and conducting a trial.

Paternity:
Paternity covers all the matters related to proving the parentage of a child or children. For married couples, paternity of a child is assumed to be the spouse, unless there is a court order or judgment stating otherwise. For unwed parents, paternity can be established by signing an Affidavit of Parentage or by filing a paternity action with the court.

Legally establishing paternity or determining that someone is not the parent of child can have a significant impact on divorce settlements, property division, child custody, child support and the ability to move out of state. Determinations of paternity can also have a significant impact on interstate conflict between unwed parents.

If you or a loved one in Kansas City or the surrounding counties that needs the help of an experienced Missouri Family Lawyer, call Shannon A. Sorensen today at 816-607-3757, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

• Attorney Shannon A. Sorensen, Esq.

Shannon received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Economics from Kansas State University in 1993. She attended Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska, and received her law degree (J.D.) from Creighton in 2000. While in law school, she clerked for Nebraska Legal Services for approximately two years where she gained extensive and valuable legal experience while working toward her law degree.

After graduation, Shannon worked as Assistant General Counsel for Rosen Auto Leasing before she relocated to Columbia, Missouri. In Columbia, she took a position with Mid-Missouri Legal Services that services clients in Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Miller, Moniteau, and Osage Counties. As a staff attorney, she represented clients in adoptions, child custody, paternity, dissolution of marriage, domestic violence cases, and modifications. She also advised clients on consumer, education, employment, health, housing, and public benefit issues.

Before opening her own office in August 2009, Shannon worked for one of the largest consumer bankruptcy firms, and has extensive experience in helping individuals protect valuable assets while eliminating or reorganizing burdensome debt. Shannon is licensed to practice in the following courts: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, United States District of Kansas, and United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. 

Shannon is also a Member of the American Bar Association; Association of Family and Conciliation Courts; Kansas Bar Association; Missouri Bar Association; Johnson County Bar Association; Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association; and a Certified Guardian Ad Litem and  Mediator.