Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Mar 10, 2026
Father appealed a circuit court judgment renewing a full order of protection against him for Mother, effective for his lifetime. Father contended the evidence was insufficient to justify renewal and that the judgment lacked sufficient findings for a lifetime order. The appellate court affirmed, finding sufficient evidence of stalking to warrant renewal and concluding that Father failed to preserve his claim regarding the sufficiency of findings for appellate review.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Feb 24, 2026
Stacey L. Noble appealed the trial court's amended judgment dissolving her marriage to Bradford R. Noble, challenging the denial of maintenance and an alleged judicial impropriety. The appellate court affirmed the judgment. It found no judicial impropriety in the trial court's use of an online calculator for judicially noticeable tax rates. The court also affirmed the denial of maintenance, concluding that Husband lacked the ability to pay regardless of the income calculation method, and that maintenance is not mandatory if the paying spouse cannot afford it.
Supreme Court of Missouri / Feb 24, 2026
Alicia Smith sought third-party visitation rights for minor children A.L.P. and S.H.P. after Lora Martinez, the children's adoptive parent, was granted parental rights in a separate adoption proceeding. The circuit court granted Smith visitation, and Martinez appealed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that section 452.375.5(5)(a) does not create an independent cause of action for third-party custody or visitation when custody is not already at issue in an underlying proceeding, such as a divorce or paternity action. Consequently, Smith's claim for visitation and her subsequent family access motion failed.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Feb 17, 2026
Gerald Nytes appealed his conviction after a bench trial for violating a full order of protection. He argued the State's evidence was insufficient to prove he had legal or actual notice of the order. The appellate court affirmed the conviction, holding that evidence of Nytes's presence at the order of protection hearing and his prior guilty pleas for violating the same order were sufficient to establish actual notice.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Feb 10, 2026
Appellant M.D.M. (Father) appealed the circuit court's child custody and support judgment, raising six points of error concerning the Form 14 income calculation, Line 11 credit, allocation of guardian ad litem and attorney's fees, and the abatement of child support. The appellate court affirmed the judgment, noting that Father's failure to preserve issues for appeal subjected all points to plain error review. The court found no manifest injustice or miscarriage of justice in the circuit court's rulings, including its denial of a Line 11 credit due to Father's non-exercise of visitation and its fee awards.
Supreme Court of Missouri / Jan 13, 2026
Attorney Mark W. Arensberg faced disciplinary proceedings for negligently drafting fraudulent loan documents for a client involved in a contentious divorce. The disciplinary hearing panel recommended a reprimand, but the Missouri Supreme Court conducted an independent de novo review. The Court found Arensberg acted knowingly, not negligently, in assisting his client to diminish the marital estate. Consequently, the Court imposed an indefinite suspension of Arensberg's law license, which was stayed pending the successful completion of a one-year probation period.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Dec 30, 2025
P.W.R., Jr. (Father) appealed the termination of his parental rights to B.W.R. (Son), arguing the trial court failed to make required statutory findings. The appellate court affirmed the judgment. It held that Father's claim of error, which pertained to the form or language of the judgment, was not preserved for appellate review because he failed to file a motion to amend the judgment as mandated by Rule 78.07(c).
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Dec 16, 2025
Mother J.M.S. appealed the termination of her parental rights to her three children, J.M.H., K.M.H., and T.M.H., by the Jackson County Circuit Court. The trial court based its decision on findings of abuse and neglect, and parental unfitness, concluding termination was in the children's best interest. The appellate court affirmed the judgment, finding no error in the trial court's determination that Mother committed severe and recurrent physical abuse, and that termination was in the children's best interest.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Dec 9, 2025
Deborah S. Starke (Wife) appealed the trial court's judgment dissolving her marriage to James A. Starke (Husband), specifically challenging the order to convey marital real estate to a third-party trust. The Wife contended that the trial court erred by ordering the conveyance of marital property to a non-party to the dissolution action, which violates Missouri law. The appellate court agreed, reversing the judgment and remanding the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Dec 2, 2025
Randa Techtow filed for dissolution of marriage, and a default judgment was entered against Jesse Techtow after he failed to respond. Jesse Techtow subsequently filed motions to set aside the default judgment, arguing good cause for his failure to respond and intrinsic fraud by Randa regarding marital property. The trial court denied these motions. On appeal, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no abuse of discretion in denying the motions or in excluding certain evidence.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Nov 25, 2025
Danielle Callow (Mother) appealed the circuit court's judgment dissolving her marriage to Matthew Callow (Father). Mother challenged the denial of maintenance, the child support calculation, the division of marital property and uninsured medical bills, and the denial of her motion for newly discovered evidence. The appellate court affirmed the circuit court's judgment on all points, finding no abuse of discretion.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Oct 21, 2025
Paternal grandparents C.L. and N.L. appealed the circuit court's judgment granting sole physical and legal custody of their grandson K.J.L. to his mother, S.R.B.-F. The grandparents argued the circuit court misapplied the law by finding a change in circumstances based on unpled issues and by conflating change of circumstance requirements with best interest factors. The appellate court affirmed the judgment, holding that the circuit court properly determined a substantial change in circumstances occurred due to the grandparents' flagrant pattern of willful denial of the mother's visitation rights.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Oct 7, 2025
Mother, Sandy Goodpasture, appealed the trial court's judgment of modification concerning child custody and support. She raised eight points on appeal, challenging the striking of her pleadings, the handling of domestic violence allegations, child support calculations, interpreter competency, religious beliefs, and the guardian ad litem. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, denying several of Mother's points due to significant briefing deficiencies and finding no error in the trial court's application of law regarding the striking of pleadings and child support imputation.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Sep 26, 2025
Father appealed the juvenile court's judgments of adjudication and disposition that placed his children under the care and control of the juvenile court and Children's Division. The juvenile court found the children in need of care and treatment based on Father's criminal history, but rejected allegations of domestic violence. The appellate court vacated the judgments, holding that the juvenile officer failed to present substantial evidence linking Father's past criminal history to a likelihood of future harm to the children, and that the juvenile court improperly relied on evidence against the Mother to the detriment of the Father.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Sep 16, 2025
Sophia Chu filed an unverified motion to register a Japanese divorce judgment against William Nanna. Nanna moved to dismiss, arguing that Chu failed to file a properly verified petition as required by statute. The circuit court denied Nanna's motion to dismiss. The appellate court reversed the circuit court's judgment, holding that Chu's failure to comply with the mandatory statutory requirement of filing a verified petition rendered the registration improper, and dismissed Chu's motion to register the foreign judgment without prejudice.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Sep 16, 2025
Sophia Chu filed a motion to register a foreign (Japanese) divorce judgment against William Nanna. Nanna filed a motion to dismiss the registration and a motion to quash garnishment, which the circuit court denied. Nanna then filed an interlocutory appeal challenging the circuit court's denial. The appellate court dismissed the appeal as moot because a separate, related appeal (ED113487) had already reversed the circuit court's judgment denying Nanna's motion to dismiss.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Aug 26, 2025
William J. Scalise appealed a contempt order finding him in violation of his maintenance obligations to Donna J. Scalise, stemming from their dissolution judgment. The appellate court questioned whether the appeal was from a final, appealable judgment, and Husband subsequently filed a document purporting to certify findings under Rule 74.01(b). The court dismissed the appeal, holding that neither the initial contempt order nor the subsequent certification attempt constituted a final, appealable judgment under Missouri law.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Jul 29, 2025
Father D.Z. appealed the judgment terminating his parental rights to his son, D.J.Z., based on grounds of abuse and neglect, including a mental condition, severe physical abuse, and failure to protect the child. Father challenged the denial of his motion to reopen evidence, alleged failure to provide a social study, the findings of abuse and neglect, and the determination that termination was in the child's best interest. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no error in its rulings on any of Father's seven points on appeal.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jul 15, 2025
Mary D. Weiss (Wife) appealed the trial court's denial of her motion to set aside a consent judgment of dissolution of marriage to Matthew J. Weiss (Husband). Wife argued the judgment was not entered into freely and voluntarily due to duress, and challenged the appointment of a Special Master, the timing of the judgment, and the award of attorneys' fees to Husband. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no abuse of discretion in denying Wife's motions and concluding that some of her points on appeal were moot or not properly before the court.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jul 15, 2025
Grandparents Jerry and Elizabeth Steele sought visitation rights with their granddaughter after the child's mother died and the child was adopted by the father's new wife. The trial court denied Father's motions to dismiss, and the parties subsequently entered into a consent judgment awarding Grandparents monthly visitation. Father appealed the consent judgment, arguing the Grandparents lacked standing. The appellate court dismissed the appeal, holding that a party who consents to a judgment is not "aggrieved" under section 512.020, RSMo, and therefore lacks statutory authority to appeal.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jul 8, 2025
K.A.E. (Mother) appealed the trial court's judgment of paternity, custody, and child support, which adopted E.W.S.'s (Father's) parenting plan designating Father's home as the child's primary residence for educational purposes. Mother argued the judgment was against the weight of the evidence and lacked substantial evidence for certain best-interest factors, particularly after her recent relocation. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, deferring to its custody determination and finding that the judgment was supported by substantial evidence and not an abuse of discretion.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jun 27, 2025
Anthony David McVean appealed the judgment dissolving his marriage to Joy Janelle McVean, challenging the trial court's imputation of income, awards of maintenance and child support, and division of marital property. Husband argued the court erred in imputing income after he voluntarily quit his job, and that the support awards were beyond his ability to pay. He also claimed the property division was disproportionate. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no abuse of discretion in any of the challenged rulings.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jun 24, 2025
Father appealed the trial court's judgment ordering him to pay $1,583.00 in monthly child support. The trial court had rejected its own Form 14 calculations, which were based on evidence presented at trial, and instead relied on a four-year-old pendente lite order. The appellate court found this to be a misapplication of law, reversed the child support award, and, pursuant to Rule 84.14, entered judgment for child support in the amount of $472.00 per month, consistent with the trial court's post-trial Form 14.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jun 17, 2025
S.M. filed a petition for an Adult Order of Protection against her former tenant, Curtis Deierling, alleging stalking. The circuit court granted the full order of protection, which Deierling appealed, arguing insufficient evidence of stalking and that the appeal was moot due to the order's expiration. The appellate court affirmed, holding that the public interest exception to mootness applied and that there was sufficient evidence to support the finding of stalking under the Adult Abuse Act.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Jun 17, 2025
Mother and Father appealed the termination of their parental rights to Child, S.R.W. The trial court found grounds for termination based on failure to rectify conditions and parental unfitness, and that termination was in the Child's best interest. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding sufficient evidence to support the termination of both parents' rights and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Father's motion to reopen evidence or in its best interest determination.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jun 17, 2025
Attorney Rose Briscoe appealed sanctions imposed by the circuit court in a dissolution of marriage case, stemming from her use of audio recordings made by the parties' son during sessions with the guardian ad litem (GAL) and a court-appointed therapist. The circuit court had found that Briscoe violated attorney-client privilege, work product protection, and therapist-patient privilege. The appellate court reversed the sanctions, holding that none of these privileges or protections applied to the communications at issue. The case was remanded for the circuit court to reconsider whether sanctions were warranted on other grounds, independent of privilege claims.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / May 27, 2025
Mother appealed the trial court's judgment terminating her parental rights to Child. The appellate court dismissed the appeal due to Mother's failure to comply with mandatory appellate court requirements. Specifically, Mother failed to provide a transcript of the termination hearing and her brief was deficient in its points relied on, statement of facts, and argument section, violating Rules 81.12 and 84.04.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / May 1, 2025
James Bender (Husband) appealed the trial court's judgment dissolving his marriage to Cortney Bender (Wife) and awarding sole custody to Wife, arguing the judgment was irregular. Husband contended he was not given proper notice that the February 15, 2024 hearing was a trial on the merits, believing it was only for temporary orders. The appellate court agreed, finding the judgment irregular because the lack of notice deprived Husband of due process and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. The judgment was vacated and the cause remanded for a new trial.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Apr 23, 2025
N.A.W. (Guardian) petitioned to adopt A.D.S. (Child), alleging Father's consent was not required under section 453.040(7) due to abandonment or neglect. Father appealed the circuit court's judgment granting the adoption, arguing his due process rights were violated because the summons did not notify him of his right to appointed counsel as required by section 211.462. The appellate court affirmed, holding that section 211.462, which pertains to termination of parental rights under chapter 211, is not applicable to an adoption proceeding under section 453.040(7) because chapter 453 does not specifically cross-reference chapter 211 for that ground.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Apr 22, 2025
Appellant Z.L. appealed the circuit court's judgment entering a one-year, full order of protection against him on behalf of Respondent C.Y.L., his daughter-in-law. C.Y.L. alleged harassment under the Missouri Adult Abuse Act, stemming from two incidents where Z.L. appeared at her residence, culminating in a verbal altercation where he yelled and used disparaging language. The appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment and vacated the order of protection, finding that C.Y.L. failed to present sufficient evidence to satisfy both the subjective and objective components of harassment's statutory definition, specifically regarding substantial emotional distress.