Jurisdictional Matters

• Residence in the State of Missouri for 90 days preceding the filing. 30 days have elapsed since filing. Date of marriage. Date of separation. No current pregnancy. No party in armed forces. Marriage is irretrievably broken and cannot be preserved. Names and ages of children.
• Financial forms completed, signed, and on file.
• Form 14 on file (cases with children).
• Document is captioned "Judgment".
• Respondent served or entered appearance.
• Parents of children under 18 attended parent orientation classes or waived.
• Self-represented parties participating in case have filed Litigant Awareness Program completion certificate.

Findings

• Missouri is the home state of the children for the last six months.
• Child support paid in monthly lump sum, not set amount per child.
• Child support for amount different than amount calculated from Form 14 requires a finding that Form 14 is "unjust and inappropriate" with reason justifying variance.
• Specific date for commencement of child support payments.
• Child support is "payable to the Family Support Payment Center, Jefferson City, MO as trustee for the (Petitioner / Respondent)." Child support must be paid by wage withholding absent specific agreement by the parties. MORS 452.350
• Values of property are set forth.
• Finding that the Parenting Plan is in the child/ren's best interest.
• Finding that agreements of the parties is "fair, reasonable and not unconscionable."
• Set forth entire agreements of parties in the findings.
• Finding that the marriage is "irretrievably broken and cannot be preserved."

Orders

• Remove Commissioner language as appropriate.
• Petitioner and Respondent names, addresses, social security numbers (redacted), places of employment.
• Maintenance specified as either modifiable (and under which terms) or non-modifiable. If no maintenance is to be awarded, state that maintenance is not awarded to either party and that this order is not subject to modification.
• Legal description of real estate set forth. If real estate to be sold, set forth the mechanics of how it will be sold. If real estate is awarded to one of the parties, include an order that the other party shall execute a quit claim deed.
• Reason justifying child support amount when it varies from Form 14 calculation, and "unjust and inappropriate" finding.
• Relocation language. MORS 452.377
• Law enforcement language. MORS 452.425
• School language. MORS 452.376
• Recite the specific terms of a separation agreement or state that the Court approves the separation agreement and incorporates its terms by reference.
• Recite the specific terms of the parenting plan for children, including custody, access and child support.