Lee's Summit Divorce & Custody Attorney
 

In the dojo, when a larger opponent charges at you with full force, the worst thing you can do is meet that force head-on. If you resist, you break. But if you step aside and pull them in the direction they are already going, their own momentum becomes the engine of their downfall. Legal discovery in a contested Missouri divorce works exactly the same way.

Missouri law (§ 452.375.2, RSMo) requires courts to examine all eight best interests factors when deciding custody and parenting time. Factor #3 focuses on the quality of the child’s relationships: “The interaction and interrelationship of the child with parents, siblings, and any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interests.” In Jackson County family court, this factor often becomes critical in high-conflict cases.

This factor directly supports Missouri’s strong public policy favoring frequent, continuing, and meaningful contact with both parents. It also examines each parent’s demonstrated willingness and ability to actually show up and parent — not just claim they want to. Here’s how some of history’s greatest strategy minds would approach this factor to help the court see it in your favor.

Missouri law (§ 452.375.2, RSMo) requires courts to determine custody and parenting time based on the best interests of the child, using these eight specific factors (plus any other relevant circumstances). In Jackson County family court, judges and Guardians ad Litem (GALs) weigh these factors carefully when deciding temporary orders, final custody, modifications, and enforcement actions. Over the coming posts, we’ll examine each factor through the lens of history’s greatest