Child Custody can generally be achieved through a paternity or dissolution action in the State of Missouri. The document at the center of a child custody case is the Parenting Plan. The parties can reach a settlement in which they decide what is in their children’s best interest. If the parties cannot come to an agreement, the Court will decide the parenting plan which is in the children’s best interest. Important topics which need to be addressed in a parenting plan include but are not limited to:
Legal custody - which parent will be making decisions for the children (sole or joint)
General decisions
Medical decisions
Decisions about school and extracurricular activities
Physical custody - which parent will have actual physical custody of the children (sole or joint)
Parenting time schedule, including holidays and summer
Communication
Between parents
Between parents and children
Access to information
Exchange location and transportation
Child support
Health insurance coverage
Income tax exemption
Relocation
Simple example of 2-2-3 schedule
Simple example of 2-2-5-5 schedule
Simple example of 3-4-4-3 schedule
If decided by the parties, parenting plans can be specific to the needs of the family.