Tailored Services, Insightful Advice

Tailored Services,
Insightful Advice

Ensuring A Fair Division Of Your Marital Estate

Divorce can have a substantial impact on your finances and standard of living. Knowledgeable legal representation is critical. Attorney Eric Morrison works to secure your fair share of marital property in the proceedings and can address spousal support (if applicable). He is an experienced litigator and negotiator with the courtroom skills and creative strategies needed to protect your interests and solve this tricky puzzle.

From a strategically located law office in Prairie Village , Morrison Law, LLC is a source of information and guidance for residents approaching divorce and property division throughout the Kansas City metro area. Eric is licensed in both Kansas and Missouri and regularly practices in the local family courts of Johnson, Jackson, Clay, Douglas, Wyandotte and surrounding counties.

Understanding Property Division In Kansas And Missouri

Kansas is an equitable distribution state. This means all property and debt possessed by either spouse is subject to equitable division by the Court as it deems appropriate under all of the circumstances. The division does not have to be 50-50. Everything is on the table, even if one spouse earned more income during the relationship ,or if the assets or debts are titled in one spouse’s name and the Kansas courts may take into account economic waste, such as one spouse’s gambling habit or spending marital funds on an extramarital affair.

Missouri law also stipulates that a divorce court “shall divide the marital property and marital debts in such proportions as the court deems just after considering … relevant factors,” including the financial circumstances of each spouse and the overall big picture of the marriage.

How Eric Morrison Can Help You Through The Process Of Property Division

Attorney Morrison will help you identify and value all marital assets and liabilities to get an accurate picture of the estate. He will help you distinguish between marital and individual property. Then he will guide you through the process of dividing the estate through a negotiated property settlement or (if necessary) contested court proceedings. Property division commonly “give and take” to balance and accommodate each spouse’s priorities regarding:

  • The marital home and other real estate
  • Pensions and retirement savings
  • Stocks and investments
  • Ownership stake in a business
  • Vehicles and valuables
  • Loans, credit card balances and debts

Eric has experience with complex and high net worth divorce, which raises the stakes and requires additional due diligence and problem-solving.

Will There Be Maintenance/Alimony?

In certain circumstances, the court may award spousal maintenance, also known as spousal support or alimony. The purpose of maintenance is to help even out financial imbalance after divorce, as when one spouse is a high earner. The court considers many factors, including the age and health of each spouse, income disparity, work history and marketable skills, child-rearing responsibilities, sacrifices made by one spouse to support the other’s business or career, and ability to pay.

Spousal support is not a given but rather is determined on a case-by-case basis. Eric Morrison has litigated for and against alimony, and he can gauge whether support is likely to be approved by the family law court handling your divorce.

Take The Steps Today To Protect Your Interests

Divorce lawyer Eric Morrison has the legal knowledge and courtroom experience to problem-solve property division and vigorously assert your rights and priorities. Start the process with an initial consultation. Call his Prairie Village office at 913-232-2480 arrange a meeting or use the online contact form to request a consultation, and Mr. Morrison will get back to you soon.