Divorce in Missouri, start to finish
See a different stateMissouri
Spot something out of date? See our corrections or email hello@thecusp.app.
Missouri gives you the forms for free. What it doesn’t give you is the order, the deadlines, the traps that get filings continued for months, or anyone to tell you which path you’re actually on. That’s this.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every deadline in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Which forms do you actually need?
Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in Missouri, and the sequence with its costs.
First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.
Dissolution of Marriage
RSMo 452.305
Used where:
- The relief requested is an order dissolving the marriage.
- The court finds the marriage is irretrievably broken.
Legal Separation
RSMo 452.305
Used where:
- The relief requested is an order to live apart while remaining legally married.
Grouped exactly as Missouri labels them. This state does not publish direct PDF links for these, so they are listed by number for the state’s own catalog.
All 9 forms
- FI-10 — Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet
- GN320 — Redaction Certification
- CAFC001 — Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (select Dissolution or Legal Separation as the relief requested)
- CAFC501 — Parenting Plan, Part A and Part B — where there are minor children
- Form 14 — Child Support Amount Calculation Worksheet — where there are minor children
- CAFC050 — Statement of Income and Expenses
- CAFC040 — Statement of Property and Debt and Proposed Separation Agreement
- CAFC010-R — Respondent’s Answer to Petition (the responding spouse files this — or signs a waiver instead)
- CAFC721 — Notice of Hearing
Dissolution of Marriage 1 form
- CAFC070 — Judgment and Decree of Dissolution of Marriage
Missouri does not let you e-file this yourself
The checklist is not something you file. It is your worktable — what to do, in what order, and what it costs. The forms are what reaches the court, and this is how they get there in Missouri.
- Portal
- Missouri eFiling System
- Paper
- Required of you. File with the circuit clerk.
- What it costs
- Nothing to you, because you cannot use it for a divorce.
- Account
- Not applicable to self-represented parties under the official FAQ — 'Any Missouri attorney in good standing can file a case or document via the Missouri eFiling System,' and pro se pleadings are filed on paper.
- Worth knowing
- Missouri's practical answer for a self-represented divorce filer is paper at the circuit clerk's office. The caution to flag: the judiciary's own e-filing FAQ still describes a 'pilot phase' and says pro se e-filing is 'planned for a later phase,' language that dates to the early rollout, and several current Missouri pages returned HTTP 403 so the position could not be freshly re-verified. Some individual circuits publish their own e-filing pages that may have moved further, so check your own circuit rather than relying on the statewide position.
Each step with the forms it names and the money it costs. The full detail of every step is in the section below. Print this part.
| # | Step | Forms it names | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm residency and pick your track | None named | — |
| 2 | Complete the Litigant Awareness Program | None named | — |
| 3 | Assemble and sign the petition packet | CAFC001FI-10GN320 | — |
| 4 | File at the circuit court where either spouse lives | None named | — |
| 5 | Get your spouse notified their answer is due in 30 days | None named | — |
| 6 | Complete the financial forms | CAFC501CAFC050Form 14CAFC040 | — |
| 7 | Wait out the 30-day minimum from filing | None named | — |
| 8 | Get on the docket and attend the hearing | CAFC721 | — |
| 9 | Judgment is entered | None named | — |
Every figure here is this page’s own, from the costs section below. A fee waiver application is free to file and is listed with the forms above.
| Filing fee — Jackson County (Kansas City) | $144.50 |
| Filing fee — St. Louis County | $148.50 |
| Filing fee — St. Charles County (11th Circuit) | check with the circuit clerk |
| Service fee, per defendant, if a sheriff/deputy serves (Jackson Co. example) | $46 |
| Litigant Awareness Program | Free |
| Notary for your verified petition | $0–$10 |
| Parent education program, if minor children (required by most circuits; no single statewide fee) | varies by circuit |
| Certified copy of your judgment (Jackson Co. example) | $4+ |
| Typical all-in filing costs, doing it yourselves | ~$150–$250 |
The short version9 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two routes, and what the rule requires — Missouri has a fork most people never hear about: dissolution of marriage, a real divorce, and legal separation, the same court process and the same forms, but the marriage continues.
- Every form Missouri publishes for a divorce — Every form here is free, and comes from Missouri’s own statewide, Supreme-Court-approved self-representation packet.
- Getting the forms and filing them in — Missouri doesn't have a single branded "automated" filing tool the way some states do.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Missouri runs almost everything off two dates and one statute, RSMo 452.305: 90 days of residency has to be true before you file, and 30 days has to pass after you file before a judge can enter judgment — for dissolution or for legal separation.
- Missouri's trap: "uncontested" isn't automatic — Most states with no-fault divorce treat an agreed case as a formality.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Missouri's remote public access rules put the redaction burden on the filer.
- The financial statements — what they require — The Statement of Income and Expenses (CAFC050) and the Statement of Property and Debt and Proposed Separation Agreement (CAFC040) are filed with the court, not just exchanged — they're how a judge checks that your agreement is fair before signing off.
- What this costs — Filing fees are set locally, not by the state — Missouri has 46 judicial circuits and no single statewide schedule.
In this subject 9
1 · The two routes, and what the rule requires
The short version9 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two routes, and what the rule requires — Missouri has a fork most people never hear about: dissolution of marriage, a real divorce, and legal separation, the same court process and the same forms, but the marriage continues.
- Every form Missouri publishes for a divorce — Every form here is free, and comes from Missouri’s own statewide, Supreme-Court-approved self-representation packet.
- Getting the forms and filing them in — Missouri doesn't have a single branded "automated" filing tool the way some states do.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Missouri runs almost everything off two dates and one statute, RSMo 452.305: 90 days of residency has to be true before you file, and 30 days has to pass after you file before a judge can enter judgment — for dissolution or for legal separation.
- Missouri's trap: "uncontested" isn't automatic — Most states with no-fault divorce treat an agreed case as a formality.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Missouri's remote public access rules put the redaction burden on the filer.
- The financial statements — what they require — The Statement of Income and Expenses (CAFC050) and the Statement of Property and Debt and Proposed Separation Agreement (CAFC040) are filed with the court, not just exchanged — they're how a judge checks that your agreement is fair before signing off.
- What this costs — Filing fees are set locally, not by the state — Missouri has 46 judicial circuits and no single statewide schedule.
In this subject 9
Missouri has a fork most people never hear about: dissolution of marriage, a real divorce, and legal separation, the same court process and the same forms, but the marriage continues. Both run through the exact same statute, RSMo 452.305, and the petition form is the same one — the relief requested on it selects the route. Filing a case as “agreed” when a spouse will not actually concede the marriage is over is what gets uncontested cases stuck for months.
Residency comes first. RSMo 452.305 requires one spouse to have been a resident of Missouri — or a service member stationed here — for 90 days immediately before filing. New since 28 August 2026: the same section now says in subsection 3 that “pregnancy status shall not prevent the court from entering a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation” (2026 H.B. 1908 & 2337). If you were told a Missouri court cannot finish your divorce while you are pregnant, that is no longer the law. The 90-day residency rule and the 30-day wait after filing are unchanged.
Dissolution of Marriage
RSMo 452.305
The route that ends the marriage. Missouri’s statewide, Supreme-Court-approved CAFC forms are built for it.
Used where:
- The relief requested is an order dissolving the marriage.
- The court finds the marriage is irretrievably broken.
Where a spouse will not contest that the marriage is irretrievably broken, the court can make that finding without the fact-finding hearing described in Section 5. Where a spouse denies it, RSMo 452.320 means a judge may have to continue the case 30 days to 6 months (Section 5). The Litigant Awareness Program must be completed and the Redaction Certification filed before the court will set a hearing. The statewide packet is written for people who agree; a circuit’s Family Court Division will likely require additional local pleadings — interrogatories, a case management statement — on top of it where a case is contested.
Legal Separation
RSMo 452.305
The same forms and the same RSMo 452.305 process as a dissolution. The only difference is the finding the judge makes, and the marriage continues after judgment.
Used where:
- The relief requested is an order to live apart while remaining legally married.
Either spouse can move to convert a legal separation into a full dissolution no earlier than 90 days after the judgment is entered (RSMo 452.360). The statewide packet’s decree form is written for dissolution; the legal-separation version of the judgment comes from the circuit clerk. The Litigant Awareness Program and Redaction Certification apply here too.
2 · Every form Missouri publishes for a divorce
The complete list for both routes, not a shortlist — because which forms a case needs depends on facts only you and, if you need one, your lawyer can weigh. Each row says which route it belongs to and carries the revision date clerks check. Every form here is free, and comes from Missouri’s own statewide, Supreme-Court-approved self-representation packet.
The Cusp is not a law firm and cannot tell you which forms are right for your case. Everything here is general information about how Missouri handles divorce, and every form below is published free by Missouri itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with a Missouri family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.
| Form | What it is | Route | Rev. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FI-10 | Confidential Case Filing Information Sheet | All | — | Download |
| GN320 | Redaction Certification | All | — | Download |
| CAFC001 | Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (select Dissolution or Legal Separation as the relief requested) | All | 01/2018 | Download |
| CAFC501 | Parenting Plan, Part A and Part B — where there are minor children | All | — | Download |
| Form 14 | Child Support Amount Calculation Worksheet — where there are minor children | All | 12/2025 | Download |
| CAFC050 | Statement of Income and Expenses | All | 01/2018 | Download |
| CAFC040 | Statement of Property and Debt and Proposed Separation Agreement | All | — | Download |
| — | Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage | Dissolution of Marriage | — | Download |
| CAFC070 | Judgment and Decree of Dissolution of Marriage | Dissolution of Marriage | — | Download |
| — | Judgment of Legal Separation — ask your clerk for the legal-separation version; the statewide packet’s decree form is written for dissolution | Legal Separation | — | see clerk |
| CAFC010-R | Respondent’s Answer to Petition (the responding spouse files this — or signs a waiver instead) | All | — | Download |
| CAFC721 | Notice of Hearing | All | — | Download |
| — | In Forma Pauperis Application (only where the filing fee cannot be afforded) | All | — | Download |
Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — always confirm you have the current revision, and check with your circuit clerk for any county-specific forms your court also requires.
3 · Getting the forms and filing them in
Missouri doesn’t have a single branded “automated” filing tool the way some states do. What it has is a free, Supreme-Court-approved packet of statewide forms (the “CAFC” series) plus a mandatory online orientation course. Here’s how the pieces fit together.
Missouri: closed to you, by a rule with a switch nobody has thrown Closed to you
- Who may e-file
- Attorneys and authorized agencies. Court Operating Rule 27, revised effective 1 October 2019, lists who may be a registered user of the e-filing system: a member of The Missouri Bar authorized to practice, a lawyer admitted pro hac vice, an individual at an agency authorized by the Missouri Court Automation Committee — and “[a]ny self-represented litigant when the statewide court automation system provides for a particular filing in a case to be electronically filed by self-represented litigants.” That fourth item is a condition, not a permission, and for a dissolution the condition is not met.
- Paper
- Yes, and in the largest circuits it is required of you rather than merely available. The rule says in terms that “[e]lectronic-filing shall not be required for self-represented filers.”
- Worth knowing
- The circuits say it in their own words, and recently. St. Louis City (22nd): “All petitions, motions and other documents in civil causes shall be filed electronically except that documents filed by pro se litigants shall be filed with the Circuit Clerk in the Civil Courts Building.” St. Louis County (21st) requires registration of attorneys and carves self-represented litigants out. Greene County went further on 30 March 2026 and stopped accepting pro se filings by email as well, leaving counter or mail. Jackson County built remote pro se filing channels in 2020 — drop boxes, email, fax, mail, telephone — and the e-filing system was not among them. The one thing worth watching: because R. 27 makes this a condition rather than a prohibition, Missouri could open a filing type to self-represented filers without amending any rule.
Step one — download the forms free
Missouri’s statewide, court-approved dissolution forms live here, at no cost — one page for the person filing (the petitioner), one for the person responding (the respondent):
courts.mo.gov — Dissolution of Marriage Forms, Petitioner
courts.mo.gov — Dissolution of Marriage Forms, Respondent
Missouri’s own site is explicit: these statewide forms “are designed for people who agree on the terms of their dissolution of marriage.” If you can’t agree, you can still use CAFC001 to start your case, but your circuit’s Family Court Division will likely require additional local pleadings (interrogatories, a case management statement) that aren’t part of this statewide packet — and this is where talking to a lawyer starts to pay for itself.
Step two — the Litigant Awareness Program (this part is mandatory)
If you’re representing yourself in a Missouri family law case, you are required to complete a two-step statewide Litigant Awareness Program — watch or read the orientation material, then the section specific to dissolution of marriage — and file the printed Certificate of Completion with the court. Courts routinely won’t set a hearing until it’s on file.
courts.mo.gov — Representing Yourself in a Family Law Case is where the program lives and where the certificate prints from.
Step three — redact before you file anything
Missouri gives the public free remote access to documents filed on Case.net, which means you are responsible for removing confidential information — Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and the names of any minor children — from every document before it’s filed. You do this by signing and filing the Redaction Certification (GN320), listed in every form packet.
Your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (CAFC001) has to be verified: sworn or affirmed and signed under oath before a notary public. Most banks notarize for a small fee or free. Signing it the night before and just showing up with a signed page is not the same thing, and clerks do check.
Step four — file it, and understand who prepares the summons
File your petition and the accompanying forms with the circuit court in the county where either spouse lives. Missouri has no single statewide filing fee — it’s set locally, so budget for a range (see Section 9) or ask about a fee waiver.
Unlike some states, Missouri doesn’t have a petitioner-prepared summons form in this packet. Once you pay the filing fee, the circuit clerk prepares the summons and attaches it to a copy of your petition — that becomes the official notice served on your spouse. Your only real choice is how it gets to them: sheriff, private process server, or your spouse voluntarily signing a waiver and filing their own Answer.
4 · Your deadlines, calculated
Missouri runs almost everything off two dates and one statute, RSMo 452.305: 90 days of residency has to be true before you file, and 30 days has to pass after you file before a judge can enter judgment — for dissolution or for legal separation. Put in your dates and we’ll turn the rules into an actual calendar, with a one-click download.
5 · Missouri’s trap: “uncontested” isn’t automatic
Most states with no-fault divorce treat an agreed case as a formality. Missouri’s statute doesn’t quite work that way. Under RSMo 452.320, the court can only make a simple finding that the marriage is irretrievably broken if both spouses say so under oath, or one says so and the other doesn’t deny it.
If your spouse’s Answer actually denies that the marriage is irretrievably broken — even in a case that otherwise looks uncontested — the judge cannot just sign your judgment. The law requires the court to either find one of five specific grounds (adultery, conduct the petitioner can’t reasonably be expected to live with, abandonment of six-plus months, mutual separation of twelve-plus months, or separation of twenty-four-plus months), or continue the case for a further hearing not less than 30 days and not more than 6 months later, and may suggest — but cannot require — counseling.
People assume that if they and their spouse have split up amicably, checking “irretrievably broken” on a form is a rubber stamp. It isn’t a rubber stamp if your spouse’s Answer — or their testimony at the hearing — actually contradicts it. Before you file, confirm out loud with your spouse that they will affirm (or simply not contest) that the marriage is irretrievably broken. If there’s any real doubt, that’s a conversation for a lawyer, not a guess you make on a form.
6 · The order it actually happens in
7 · The rejection-proofing checklist
These are the specific things that get Missouri filings bounced, continued, or defaulted — every one of them costs weeks.
Redaction and signing
Missouri’s remote public access rules put the redaction burden on the filer. SSNs, dates of birth, and minor children’s names have to come out of every document before it’s filed — including exhibits. The clerk isn’t required to catch it for you, and confidential information that leaks into the public record can’t be un-published after the fact.
Forms people forget
Timing — three different day-counts, don’t confuse them
Missouri has at least three separate day-counts in play: 90 days of residency before you can file at all, 30 days after filing before a judge can sign any judgment, and a separate 30 days your spouse gets to answer once served. People routinely mix these up — none of them substitute for each other.
8 · The financial statements — what they require
The Statement of Income and Expenses (CAFC050) and the Statement of Property and Debt and Proposed Separation Agreement (CAFC040) are filed with the court, not just exchanged — they’re how a judge checks that your agreement is fair before signing off.
Under RSMo 452.325, a judge has to review your separation agreement’s terms on property, debt, and maintenance and can only reject them as “unconscionable” — a high bar. Child-related terms don’t get that protection; the court independently reviews custody, visitation, and support regardless of what you’ve agreed to.
9 · What this costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee — Jackson County (Kansas City) | $144.50 |
| Filing fee — St. Louis County | $148.50 |
| Filing fee — St. Charles County (11th Circuit) | check with the circuit clerk |
| Service fee, per defendant, if a sheriff/deputy serves (Jackson Co. example) | $46 |
| Litigant Awareness Program | Free |
| Notary for your verified petition | $0–$10 |
| Parent education program, if minor children (required by most circuits; no single statewide fee) | varies by circuit |
| Certified copy of your judgment (Jackson Co. example) | $4+ |
| Typical all-in filing costs, doing it yourselves | ~$150–$250 |
Filing fees are set locally, not by the state — Missouri has 46 judicial circuits and no single statewide schedule. The two figures above are verified from each county’s own current fee schedule; confirm yours before you file.
File the In Forma Pauperis Application with your petition. You’ll swear to your income and expenses under oath, and the judge decides whether to waive the fees — not the clerk.
Attorney costs below are member-reported, illustrative figures from The Cusp’s community — not quotes, not averages from any official source, and not a substitute for calling around.
| Path | Member-reported range |
|---|---|
| Fully self-filed, uncontested (just court costs above) | $150–$250 |
| One-time attorney document review / consult | $150–$400 |
| Limited-scope (“unbundled”) attorney help on part of the case | $500–$2,000 |
| Full representation, uncontested | $1,500–$4,000 |
| Full representation, contested | $4,000–$15,000+ |
Does cheating change the money in Missouri?
It can. Marital conduct is a factor the court is allowed to weigh. The rule: “the conduct of the parties during the marriage” (§ 452.335.2(9)). How all fifty states answer this.
Reconciled, and it did not work? No fault ground survives in Missouri, so forgiving an affair cannot cost you the divorce — which is an answer rather than a gap: condonation, state by state. If the decision itself is what you are sitting with rather than the law, start here.
What this is. A guide to Missouri’s own process, built from the Revised Statutes of Missouri Chapter 452 (dissolution of marriage, alimony and separate maintenance) — including sections 452.305, 452.320, 452.325, and 452.360 — Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88.09 on parties not represented by counsel, and the official CAFC-series self-representation forms published by the Missouri Courts at courts.mo.gov. The forms themselves are free and this guide links you to them rather than reselling them.
What this is not. The Cusp is not a law firm and does not practice law. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here tells you which choice is right for your particular situation — only what Missouri requires of each path. If your case involves contested custody, a business, hidden assets, domestic violence, or a spouse with a lawyer, talk to an attorney. Many offer free consultations, and one hour of advice is cheaper than a case that gets continued for six months.
Confirm current numbers with the clerk. Filing fees and service fees are set by each of Missouri’s 46 judicial circuits, not the state, and change over time. Where this guide could not verify an exact current figure with confidence — including St. Charles County’s current filing fee — it says so and points you to your circuit clerk rather than guessing.
Four things can happen to the house in a Missouri divorce
Missouri is not one of the twenty states where filing freezes both spouses automatically. That is not permission to sell: either of you can still ask a court for an order, and one may already exist in your case. But the automatic-order trap is not one you fall into here.
One of you buys the other out, you sell later, you sell now, or the court decides. For a great many people the right answer is not to sell at all – and three of the four routes earn us nothing.
The four routes, compared · Keeping it: the buyout and the carrying cost · Selling: capital gains, basis and timing · Finding an agent who has done a divorce sale · What two households cost
Need a vetted attorney, mediator, or financial analyst in Missouri?
Browse The Cusp’s professional directory — rated only by verified clients, never ranked by who paid the most.
Browse the directory →The Cusp · All 50 state kits · Find a professional · About
Ask for an introduction to an agent → — who we would introduce you to, what the referral fee is and who pays it, and why the answer is sometimes that you should not sell at all.
Everything we have written about Missouri specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from Missouri’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.
- Modifying support after divorce
- Modifying custody and parenting time after divorce
- Check your state’s rules in one place (modification checker)
- What it costs to file
- Child custody
- Child support
- Guardians ad litem and child representation
- Travel, custody and relocation
- Alimony
- Property, support and legal fees
- Protective orders
- Changing your name back
- Legal help you can afford
- Verified professionals
The most expensive mistakes in a divorce are made in the year after it, by people who thought the case was over. After the divorce is the checklist for that year — the health-coverage clock, the retirement order a decree cannot replace, and the beneficiary form that outranks your will.
Filing is one household becoming two, and the second one starts empty. The two-household list is what to send the people who keep asking how they can help — the second of everything, and the half of it that costs nothing. Some people call it a divorce registry.
All 13 Missouri divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 10 with an official form number, 12 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the Missouri form list →
Common questions about filing for divorce in Missouri
Short answers to what people ask most before they start. Each one points at the part of this page that covers it in full.
How do I file for divorce in Missouri?
This page sets out the order it happens in for Missouri: which form opens the case, what has to be served on the other person and when, and what the court needs before it will finish. It is written to be followed in sequence rather than read through.
What forms do I need to file for divorce in Missouri?
The form list on this page gives the official Missouri form numbers, each one’s revision date, and a link to the copy on the court’s own site rather than a copy hosted here. Using a superseded revision is one of the most common reasons a filing comes back, which is why the dates are shown.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Missouri?
$97.50 – $197.50 to open the case, and that is only the filing fee — it does not cover service, copies, any required class, or a lawyer. The full breakdown for Missouri, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in Missouri.
What gets a Missouri divorce filing rejected?
This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in Missouri rather than a general list. Most of them are procedural and cost weeks rather than money: the wrong form revision, a missing signature or notarization, service done in a way the state does not accept, or filing before a residency requirement is met.
How long does a divorce take in Missouri?
There is a timeline on this page built from Missouri’s own statutory day-counts, not from averages. The honest short answer is that the waiting period is a floor and not a prediction: an uncontested case can finish close to it, and a contested one is governed by the court’s calendar rather than the statute.
Where does the information on this page come from?
Missouri’s own courts and statutes. Every form links to the court’s site, every fee is quoted from the published schedule with the date it was last checked, and where something could not be confirmed from an official source this site says so instead of estimating. It is free, with no account and no paywall.
Does cheating change the money in Missouri?
It can. Marital conduct is a factor Missouri allows the court to weigh, which is not the same as a rule that decides the outcome — it sits alongside need, earning capacity and the length of the marriage, and how much weight it gets is the judge’s. Eighteen states are in this position. The fifty-state table sets out the section this comes from, and the card higher up this page quotes your state’s own words.
Choosing an agent for a divorce sale is a different problem from choosing one for an ordinary sale: who the agent is allowed to talk to, who has to sign, what happens when one of you will not, and the three separate conflicts of interest that come up when one spouse found the agent first. How to choose a real estate agent for a divorce sale sets out what to ask, and how to check a credential yourself — no divorce credential is official with the National Association of Realtors.
The Cusp receives a referral fee from agents it vets and trains to handle divorce clients.
Key deadlines at a glance
These are the same deadlines the calculator above works out, shown as days counted from the day you file or the day your spouse is served. Use the calculator for your exact dates.
No minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The 30-day minimum wait under RSMo 452.305 starts counting from here. |
| Spouse served (or waiver filed) | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their 30-day clock to answer starts now — a different clock from the one above. |
| Earliest a judge can enter judgment | 30 days after filing | RSMo 452.305(1)/(2) — applies to both dissolution and legal separation. This is a floor, not a target; many circuits take longer to schedule the hearing. |
| Respondent’s Answer is due | 30 days after service | If no Answer is filed, the respondent is in default and you can ask the court for the relief in your petition. |
With minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The 30-day minimum wait under RSMo 452.305 starts counting from here. |
| Spouse served (or waiver filed) | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their 30-day clock to answer starts now — a different clock from the one above. |
| Earliest a judge can enter judgment | 30 days after filing | RSMo 452.305(1)/(2) — applies to both dissolution and legal separation. This is a floor, not a target; many circuits take longer to schedule the hearing. |
| Respondent’s Answer is due | 30 days after service | If no Answer is filed, the respondent is in default and you can ask the court for the relief in your petition. |
Your county
Divorce rules are set by the state, but each county or court has its own forms, deadlines, classes and filing habits. Choose yours.
Or go straight to your county or court:
City of St. Louis (call to confirm)Clay County (call to confirm)Greene CountyJackson County (call to confirm)Jefferson CountySt. Charles County (call to confirm)St. Louis CountyCity of St. Louis Call or check the court website to confirm
Not confirmed. Check with the clerk for class, mediation, forms and e-filing requirements.
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Clay County Call or check the court website to confirm
Local rules require the COPE parent education program in cases with minor children, with 45-day attendance deadlines and a $60 fee collected at filing. A financial statement on the clerk’s form is required, and Form 14 and an income withholding notice are due at least five days before the hearing. Mediation and e-filing details were not confirmed.
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Greene County
Local rules (revised February 2023) require a Certificate of Dissolution and a confidential information sheet at filing. Parties with minor children complete court-approved parent education, and contested cases go to mediation plus an ADR course unless waived for good cause. Attorneys must e-file, while self-represented parties file on paper unless the Presiding Judge permits e-filing.
Who to contact: Domestic Section (417) 868-4074 option 3, as listed on the Greene County Circuit Clerk page
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Jackson County Call or check the court website to confirm
The Family Court Division page gives the Kansas City courthouse address and links to family court forms, fee and filing-deposit information, and the statewide self-represented forms. Local class, mediation and e-filing requirements were not confirmed, so check with the clerk.
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Jefferson County
A county-hosted copy of Rule 68 (edition date not seen) requires property and income/expense statements within 30 days of filing or service and a document exchange within 90 days. Form 15 is filed with the petition when children are involved, and parent education is ordered unless good cause exists. Contested custody or visitation requires at least two hours of mediation, with 60 days to choose a mediator.
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
St. Charles County Call or check the court website to confirm
A court instruction page lists the items to e-file for a new dissolution case, each filed as a separate filing rather than attached to the petition, with dissolution and paternity cases filed separately. Parent education and mediation requirements were not confirmed.
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
St. Louis County
Local Rule 68 requires parent education with proof of attendance, and mediation of contested issues unless good cause is shown, with Form 15 due 90 days after service. The petitioner’s income/expense and property statements must accompany the first pleading, and the respondent has 60 days. Documents are exchanged within 75 days and a status conference is set no later than 120 days after service. An Automatic Family Court Order is served with the summons.
Who to contact: Family Court forms page lists 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105; 314-615-8029; Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00
Local rules · Local forms · Court website
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Not listed? Your county clerk of court can tell you the local rules. These are general information from court and clerk pages, last checked 2026-11-10, not legal advice.
Serving the papers in Missouri? Sheriff, or an adult over 18 who is not a party; not you. Returned within 30 days of issue, extendable to 90. (As we read the rules on 29 October 2026.) See who can serve a divorce summons and whether you can do it yourself, and find Missouri in our state-by-state serving table.
Stay current
We re-check the law. We will tell you when your state’s changes.
One email, and only when something we have published about your state stops being true — a filing fee that moved, a statute that was amended, a form the court replaced. No newsletter, no sales, unsubscribe in one click.
We use your address for that one purpose. We do not sell it, and we do not add you to anything else. Privacy
How we can help
Understand the house first. Then talk to someone who gets it.
The house is usually the largest decision in a divorce, and the one people are least ready for. Here is what we do, in the order that makes sense.
1. Start with the facts, free
22 states have automatic orders that freeze both spouses the moment a divorce is filed, barring either one from selling or borrowing against the property. Is yours one of them?
Plain-English guides on what can happen to the house, what an automatic order stops you doing, and how the tax rules decide what a sale is worth. No account and nothing to buy.
- The four things that can happen to the house
- Selling the house: who signs, and the tax rules
- Keeping the house: the buyout and the carrying cost
2. Know when not to call an agent
Often the right answer is to wait, or to talk to your lawyer or an accountant first. We say so plainly. An agent is the wrong first call if nothing is filed, or if an order restricts what either of you can do with the property.
3. Talk to someone who gets it
When you do need an agent, we introduce you to a local agent who has completed our divorce real estate training and passed its 20-question exam. Before any introduction we check the license with the state regulator (any unresolved disciplinary action is a no), the agent’s closed sales, and a review rating of 4.7 or better. The introduction is free, and you are free to say no.
Ask for an introductionHow we are paid
You pay us nothing. Agents are not charged for the training, the exam or the free resources. If an introduction leads to a closed sale, the agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee out of its own commission, not out of your proceeds. A place on the panel cannot be bought.
General information, not legal or tax advice. The Cusp is not a law firm.
Selling a home in a divorce: what to ask a local listing agent
Selling the house is often the largest single decision in a divorce. These questions help you judge whether an agent has done it before. They do not replace your lawyer, who should approve the plan before anything is listed.
- Have you sold homes where both spouses had to sign, or where a court had to approve the sale? How many, and how recently?
- Does filing already restrain a sale in my state? Check the 50-state table and ask my lawyer before we sign anything.
- Who decides on price changes and which offers to accept when we disagree, and how will that be written down?
- Who pays the mortgage, taxes and insurance until closing, and what does the listing agreement say about it?
- Where will the sale proceeds be held until the decree says who gets what?
- How will you handle showings, access and lockboxes if we are not speaking?
- Will you give both spouses and both lawyers the same information at the same time?
- What happens to the listing agreement if we settle, reconcile or the case is delayed? What are the cancellation terms?
- Can I have your fee terms in writing and the names of past clients who sold during a divorce?