Kansas Family Law
Practical solutions to your family matters
Families often come to us consumed by doubt and anxiety and with many questions on their minds: How will they get by after a Johnson County divorce or separation? What will the process cost? What will happen with the children? How will they care for their children? Will they lose everything?
Backed by years of experience in family law and understanding of the emotional turmoil our clients may be suffering, A Johnson County divorce attorney from Fletcher and Rohrbaugh will help answer those questions and help to put worry and stress aside. A stand by our clients every step of the way and steadfastly represent their rights.
Attorney Mark Rohrbaugh represents Kansas families in a variety of family law matters, including the following:
Divorce
Divorce can be one of life’s turning points with major decisions to be made. At Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP, we help our clients understand the steps involved in dissolving the marriage and the likely outcomes. Most of our cases settle through negotiation, eliminating the need for costly and potentially time-consuming trial.
In Kansas, divorce takes a minimum of 60 days, with an average case lasting three to six months from start to finish.
Avoid the pitfalls
Throughout the process, we leverage our experience to answer your questions, communicate the pros and cons of all possible outcomes, and avoid pitfalls and delays. We have found it useful to advise our clients to do the following:
- File your petition first, because that increases the chance that temporary orders meet your needs for the family home, child custody, and child and spousal support
- Establish your own checking account so you can protect your cash assets
- Place your financial documents in a safe, secure place to guarantee you have access to them without interference from the other side
Take immediate action
If you have been served divorce papers, you have 20 days to respond. If you do not, you are in default, and your spouse can legally proceed without you. Seek immediate legal counsel, because even if you have missed the 20-day window, we can often get the default set aside.
Our divorce cases rarely go to trial. Most of the time you are better off negotiating a settlement than putting your entire life into the hands of a judge. We focus on negotiation and mediation. These methods allow spouses and their legal counsel to work out their own solutions, including those for support and property.
Sometimes when one spouse demands something unreasonable, trial is necessary. When necessary, we ardently represent your rights in family court.
For more information, see our helpful pamphlet, What You Should Know About Divorce.
Child custody
Sole custody, shared custody, and joint custody—what does all this mean? We work with our clients to understand complex custody issues. Custody is the starting point. Just as important is the parenting plan. We work with our clients to develop a plan that is fair and centered on the best interests of the children.
If we are unable to work out a settlement, Johnson County offers free mediation to help parents develop their parenting plan. Mediation often eliminates adversarial positions and allows the parents to focus on what is best for the child. It also enables parents to have an integral role in shaping their own future as well as their children’s without the risk of having a judge decide it for you.
It is common for one parent to have residential custody and the other parent to have extensive parenting time. At Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP, we believe in each parent’s rights and responsibilities to their children. With each client, we work to develop a parenting plan that works effectively for all parties concerned. Whether our client has residential custody or is establishing a parenting plan, we make sure that their rights are protected and the children are well cared for.
Discuss your specific situation with Mark Rohrbaugh and learn the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of the different types of child custody. Find out what is right for you and your children. Contact Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP to schedule your free initial consultation.
Paternity
Mothers and fathers have equal rights in raising their children whether they are married or not. But sometimes, the father’s identity is not known or recognized by the mother. We assist families in determining the identity of the child’s father and guiding them through the paternity process.
Sometimes the process begins when a woman applies for state aid or health insurance for her children. The state requests the name of the children’s father. If the parents never married, the state brings an action to prove paternity. If this test establishes a man as the father, he gains father’s rights, including child support obligations.
Quite often we represent fathers who are denied access to their children by the mother. In situations like these, a father’s only recourse is to file a paternity case and become legally recognized as the child’s father.
Other times a mother knows who the father is, but he is not interested in providing for his child. In those cases, we can force the man to submit to genetic testing and make him responsible for child support.
In all paternity cases, Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP assists with child support and child custody issues as required.
Child support
Child support can be one of the most contentious elements of a family case. We work with our clients to help them understand how child support calculations are made. The calculation considers the number and age of the children and the family income. It then applies many modifiers, including costs for health care, child care, children’s special needs, support for other children, divided custody or multiple family support. The formulas are complex and even determining the family’s income can become complicated when one parent is self-employed or works on commission.
Only an experienced lawyer well-versed in Kansas child support can provide the best navigation through these muddy waters. Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP can guide you through the process to determine the amount of support that is fair for your particular situation.
We also work with previous and new clients to handle modifications to child support orders.
Child in Need of Care (CINC)
Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP handles issues related to Child in Need of Care (CINC) cases. In such cases, it is alleged that a child has inadequate supervision, has been abused, or has created a danger for himself or herself by an act such as running away. Our Johnson County, KS firm has handled cases involving abused and neglected children, drug-addicted babies, and other endangered children. If the parties involved cannot agree on a resolution, the case may proceed to trial. We also represent clients through the termination phase in which a parent’s rights may be severed. If that occurs, in some situations, the child may be placed for adoption, permanent guardianship, or an independent living arrangement.
Adoption and guardianships
Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP regularly assists clients with adoptions and guardianships. Knowledgeable about the state's adoption laws, we help establish the legal relationship between parents and child not biologically connected. We guide Kansas families through the adoption process whether the adoption comes through an agency or needs to be handled privately with another family. We also handle grandparent and stepparent adoptions.
We thoroughly explain guardianship processes in easy-to-understand language to those concerned about the welfare of a child or adult who cannot care for himself or herself. Legal guardianship and its relationship to visitation rights, grandparent rights, and the rights of other relatives can be complex. We can help and guide you through every step of the guardianship process from start to finish.
The Kansas Judicial Council has prepared several useful guides concerning guardianship and conservatorship:
- Basic Instructions for Guardianships
- Basic Instructions for Conservators
- Basic Instructions for Guardianships and Conservators
Other family law matters
We provide the full spectrum of family law services to Kansas families:
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Experienced. Practical. Affordable.
For assistance with your Johnson County separation agreement call the attorneys of Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP at 877-260-2304 or contact us online for practical and affordable solutions. We look forward to discussing your situation with you and finding ways to ease your burden.
Fletcher & Rohrbaugh, LLP is fully capable of providing excellent representation in Johnson County KS, Miami County KS, Wyandotte County KS, Douglass County KS, Leavenworth County KS, Jackson County MO, Platte County MO, and Cass County MO
