- Divorce
- Child SupportKathy is well-known in the northwest Missouri region as being fierce in the courtroom. She is proud to serve families and clients from Clay County Missouri north to the Iowa border. She has carved a niche in her practice of complex divorce matters including high asset marriages, farming and other business organization divisions as part of the divorce, and compound custody matters with intricate issues. Her practice not only involves high conflict concerns, but also includes modifications of original decrees, paternity, custody, visitation, paternity, child support, guardianships, grandparents’ rights, adoption, parental alienation, incapacitated parents, relocation of residences, and domestic violence matters.
- Child Custody and VisitationFor more information about how our child custody attorneys can help you in your case, reach out to Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter
- Adoption
- PaternityFamily law issues are some of the hardest to navigate, especially because of the mental and emotional burdens they carry. Whether you are dealing with a contentious child custody dispute or have questions about establishing paternity, our St. Joseph family law attorneys at Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter are here to support you. For the best results in your family law case, you should enlist the help of an experienced family lawyer who knows how the Missouri court system works. Our firm is supported by generations of family law attorneys who have been protecting families for over 100 years. We have a known reputation for our knowledgeable and zealous advocacy in the Northwest Missouri area, and we are more than prepared to help you navigate your family law issue.
- Premarital AgreementMarital property refers to all the property acquired by either spouse during the marriage. Missouri law assumes that all property is marital unless a spouse can prove that something is nonmarital, or separate. Separate property is property that belongs to only one spouse, usually property that was acquired before the marriage. Separate property may also include gifts addressed only to one spouse or inheritances received during the marriage. Separate property is not up for division in a divorce, and spouses can specify prior to marriage in a prenuptial agreement what property should be deemed separate.
- Guardianship
- Spousal SupportMaintenance is the modern-day equivalent of a form of marital support traditionally called “alimony.†Maintenance is available to either spouse, regardless of gender, as a form of relief in a divorce action. Maintenance may be needed by one spouse from the other for a multitude of reasons. The spouse seeking maintenance may have a lesser ability to support themselves because he or she forwent a career in order to focus on raising the parties’ children. The spouse seeking maintenance may have a disability or other condition that impedes his or her ability to support themselves.
- Child Abuse
- Criminal DefenseFacing criminal charges in Northwest Missouri? Put an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your case immediately. The consequences of a conviction are not worth the risk; the best thing you can invest in upon arrest is professional representation. In fact, a good attorney could make the difference between half a life in jail and obtaining only a minimal term, depending on your situation.
- DUI/DWIThe first thing you should do after being charged or arrested with a DUI is to seek legal representation. A conviction could have lasting consequences, including hindering your future ability to drive. Time is of the essence in DUI cases, and the sooner you put an attorney on your case, the faster you can resolve your legal mess. Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter has established a strong reputation among the Northwest Missouri community, and our attorneys have decades of experience defending clients in court. Let us take a look at your situation and develop an innovative legal strategy for obtaining reduced or even dismissed charges.
- Wrongful DeathKeep in mind that the statute of limitations to file a wrongful death claim is 3 years from the date of the victim’s death. After the 3-year window, the court will be unlikely to hear the case.
- Traffic ViolationsMichael has represented individuals charged with crimes ranging from minor traffic violations to murder. He has served as a prosecuting attorney for both the State of Missouri and for the municipal city of Gladstone. This experience has led him to evaluate criminal cases from a unique position of both the prosecutor and the defense attorney.
- Sex CrimesMichelle is proud to serve individuals in Missouri and Kansas. Michelle is passionate about representing the rights of those injured. Michelle employs a team/client centered approach to all cases to achieve the best possible results. Michelle has successfully represented a wide variety of injured clients including medical record privacy violations, sexual assault of inmates while in custody, assault of an inmate leading to his death while in custody, pharmacy negligence, product liability matters, workers’ compensation claims, and Section 1983 civil rights litigation claims. The firm has also handled cases concerning victims of crimes, trucking and automobile injuries, and slip and fall injuries.
- White Collar Crimes
- MisdemeanorsAssault is another common violent crime that may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. Assault generally occurs when a person attempts to or knowingly causes physical injury to another person. Missouri law categorizes assault into 4 degrees based on the circumstances of the offense, with first degree assault being the most serious (results in serious physical injury)...
- Drug CrimesThe schedule of the drug determines the severity of the penalties. Generally, illegal drug possession (without a valid prescription) falls under the range of Class C felony penalties, which call for up to $5,000 in fines and either 1 year in jail or at least 2-7 years in prison, depending on the drug in question. Other drug-related activity is penalized by the following...
- Assault
- MurderHomicide includes manslaughter and murder, both serious felonies under Missouri law. The main distinction between manslaughter and murder is that manslaughter occurs when a person intentionally kills another in the heat of the moment (without premeditation), whereas murder involves premeditation or planning. Manslaughter, which can be voluntary or involuntary, may occur when a person is acting in self-defense, such as in domestic violence situations.
- HomicideWhether you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer to advocate for you in the face of homicide charges or a legal professional to help you clean your criminal record, Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter is the law firm for you. We are a generational firm that has been representing clients for over 100 years, and we have the reputation to prove it.
- Manslaughter
- Business DisputesKathy Kranitz Sadoun was born and raised in St. Joseph and is the granddaughter of founding partner Louis Kranitz. She followed in the footsteps of her grandfather, father, and brother Hugh Kranitz, when joining the firm after graduating from law school. Kathy predominantly practices in the areas of matrimonial and business law. People that know Kathy, know her as a tenacious legal adversary who has garnered a reputation of professionally, yet zealously, protecting her client’s legal positions during the most difficult times in their lives.
- Real Estate Litigation
- Landlord-Tenant DisputesMichael also has extensive experience in many civil matters including, domestic, contracts, landlord-tenant, construction, and personal injury.
- Property Damage
- Personal InjuryIf you have been unfairly harmed or injured due to an accident, you have the right to sue for damages. Our firm helps clients take legal action to right the wrongs against them. Personal injury matters are not always easy to handle, but this shouldn’t stop you from fighting for your right to compensation. Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter is a compassionate law firm dedicated to helping you understand your options and obtaining the most favorable outcomes for your family during this troubling time.
- Medical MalpracticeThis affidavit must be filed within 90 days of the filing of the lawsuit, and failure to file a proper and timely affidavit will likely result in the dismissal of the medical malpractice lawsuit.
- Auto Accidents
- Slip and Fall Injury
- Estate PlanningAt Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter, we have been advocating for clients in Northwest Missouri for more than 100 years. Our founding attorneys have passed down generations of legal knowledge and tools that our current attorneys still use and innovate upon. Estate planning is one of the toughest legal procedures, as the stakes of your property can be high. As a result, it is advisable to work with a law firm that is deeply familiar with how the Missouri court system works. With decades of experience and a known reputation in the area, Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter is more than prepared to help you navigate your estate planning matter, from creating a will to understanding the probate process.
- Wills
- TrustsNote that, while there are benefits to a living trust, it is still important that you have a will. For one, you cannot use a trust to name a guardian for your minor children; only a will can do that. Additionally, a will can account for property that you have not transferred to your trust. A will can act as a backup to dictate how assets that are not in the trust should be distributed.
- Power of AttorneyEvidently, the technicalities of estate planning can be quite nuanced and confusing. That’s where an attorney comes in, as we can help you to better plan for your and your family’s future. The above are only a handful of estate planning matters we help with; we can also guide you through power of attorney matters and conservatorship concerns. Whatever your estate planning concern, do not hesitate to contact Kranitz, Sadoun & Carpenter for legal support. We have your best interests in mind and will do our best to protect your property for you and your loved ones.
- ProbateProbate is the legal process that occurs after a person dies and their property must be distributed. If the decedent dies with a valid will, the property left behind will be distributed according to the will. If a person dies without a will, then Missouri's probate law dictates how the assets will be distributed. Probate isn't always required when someone dies, depending on what assets are in the estate.