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The divorce process involves finances, property, custody, and many emotions. Joseph, Hollander & Craft’s Wichita divorce lawyers know that getting a divorce can be difficult, but we are ready to guide you through this process and advocate for you every step of the way.

Our Wichita divorce attorneys handle all manner of divorces—from simple and uncontested divorces to divorces involving complex property division matters and contentious child custody issues. With decades of combined experience serving clients in Sedgwick County, Butler County, Harvey County, Reno County, and beyond, our Wichita divorce lawyers are prepared to handle every issue that may arise in your family law case. 

Protecting Your Property and Finances in a Divorce

During the divorce process, the parties must divide the marital property between them. In Kansas, all property owned by the parties, both individually and together, is subject to division in the divorce process. This includes real property, retirement accounts, vehicles, and cryptocurrency, to name a few. The parties may negotiate an agreement for how to divide the property or go to trial and let a judge decide. JHC’s top-tier divorce attorneys in Wichita will make sure that your interests are protected in the property division process, and we will finalize all property orders by preparing necessary documents.

Either party to a divorce may be awarded an allowance for future financial support. In Kansas, this is called spousal maintenance, although many still refer to it as alimony. Kansas judges award spousal maintenance when it is “just, fair, and equitable.” Spousal maintenance awards and amounts are determined after a review of several factors including one spouse’s need and the other spouse’s ability to pay. Many of the counties served by JHC’s Wichita divorce attorneys do not have formal guidelines regarding spousal maintenance, so our attorneys are well versed in both sides of the spousal maintenance arguments. We will advocate for your best interests and help safeguard your financial future.

Divorce and Child Custody, Parenting Time, and Visitation

In all divorces involving minor children, a judge will issue orders regarding custody and parenting time. Kansas does not have any presumptions that any one kind of custody arrangement is preferable over another. Because each family is different, JHC’s Wichita divorce attorneys always provide individualized advice concerning legal custody, residential custody, parenting time, and visitation.

• Legal Custody refers to a parent’s ability to have decision-making authority over a minor child. The majority of parents in the state of Kansas have joint legal custody, meaning that they continue to share decision-making authority.
• Residential custody refers to where the child resides. A Kansas court may order primary residential custody or shared residential custody. Primary residential custody means that one parent has the child more than 50% of the time and the other parent (called the non-custodial parent) is awarded parenting time pursuant to a specific parenting plan. Shared residential custody means that both parents have the child an equal amount of time.
• Parenting Time, sometimes called visitation, is the term used to describe the time each parent spends with the child. A parenting plan usually includes a weekly schedule for parenting time.

JHC’s Wichita divorce attorneys handle the delicate issue of child custody with compassion, honesty, and dedication. Our attorneys will work with you to create a parenting plan that fits your family’s needs.

Support for Minor Children

In Kansas, child support amounts are governed by the Kansas Child Support Guidelines. The amount of child support that one party may be required to pay to the other is based primarily on each party’s income and the kind of residency agreement set out in the parenting plan. The guidelines are very formulaic so that the child is provided for financially by both parents. There are several modifications to the guidelines that are available to parties paying or receiving child support. The divorce lawyers in JHC’s Wichita office will fight to make sure your child support orders are fair and reasonable. We handle child support issues during the divorce process and child support modifications post-divorce.

Wichita Divorce Attorneys Working Hard for You

JHC’s Wichita divorce attorneys strive to be the best divorce lawyers for you and your case. We are dedicated to achieving your objectives in the most effective manner possible. We are capable negotiators and know how to use various forms of alternative dispute resolution to resolve your divorce matter without trial. When the situation requires it, however, we are fierce courtroom advocates who fight for your custody and parenting rights, support orders, and property interests.

Contact our Wichita divorce lawyers to discuss how we can help you.

Top Questions About Divorce in Wichita, Kansas

What can a lawyer do for me during a divorce?

A skilled divorce attorney can play a vital role in the divorce process. For a divorce to be granted, a Petition for Divorce will need to be filed with the court. Then, the opposite party will need to file responsive pleadings. All these filings can be easily handled by an attorney who is familiar with the divorce process. During this process, there will need to be many negotiations and agreements, and possibly hearings, on temporary orders, property division, child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and more. An attorney can help you reach fair agreements on these matters and can advocate for your position in court if an agreement is not possible. Contact JHC’s divorce lawyers to see how we can help you.

How long will the divorce process take?

Kansas law requires a “cooling off” period of 60 days from the time of filing. This means that the earliest a divorce can be finalized is 60 days after the Petition for Divorce is filed. However, most divorces will take longer than that. If there are multiple issues in the divorce, such as large amounts of property to be divided or child custody issues, then the time between filing and finalization will be longer. If the parties can come to quick agreement on most items, then the process can be closer to the required 60-day waiting period.