PMCW Law

Alimony, or spousal support, is known as the financial support one might get from an ex-spouse in result of a divorce. This money is an attempt to keep both parties “lifestyle” as close to the "lifestyle" they have grown accustomed to as possible.  However, you can’t just get alimony by asking, you have to qualify for it and it must be granted to you. An experienced divorce attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you determine whether you have a good chance of getting alimony or not. Let’s look at what factors into being granted alimony in a divorce case. How Do I Know if I Qualify for Alimony or Spousal Support? When the court determines whether or not alimony should be granted, they are looking at a few different things: • Can the spouse wanting financial support, support themselves?  • Are they able to acquire a job on their own? • Did the married couple have a child who needs special attention? If so, would the primary caregiver/parent be able work o...

You have put your whole life into your business. You don't want to leave it to someone you don't trust when you pass away. It's important that you have a plan put in place ahead of time. Our estate planning attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you create a will and make sure all your bases are covered. Here are some estate planning tips you can follow for your business. Estate Planning Tips for Business Owners Tip # 1 Create a will. No matter what type of business you own, having a will created is a good idea. Even if you already have a will, make sure it's updated. A will allows you leave directions regarding who you want to leave your business to. When there is no will to refer to, your business is passed down to whoever the state law guides it to. If you don't have a will, then your business will typically go to close family members. Tip # 2 Consider your taxes. Many people don’t realize, but estate taxes can be as much as 50 pe...

The holidays can be a season of joy, but it also can be a stressful financial time for single parents. You want to give your child the best Christmas possible, but if you are not receiving child support payments in a timely manner (or at all) during this time of year, you may be struggling to make the perfect Christmas a reality. Our experienced child support attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to give you some advice if you are not receiving your child support payments. Possible Reasons for Delays in Child Support around the Holidays A couple of reasons as to why you may be experiencing delays in your child support around the holidays specifically, can include: • The parent paying child support quit or lost his job in the holiday season. If your co-parents wages were being garnished to cover your child support payments and all of a sudden you stop receiving payments, there’s a possibility that he or she either quit or lost his or her job. • Christmas Day ...

Our Get to Know Your Lawyer blog series continues this month. Our law office at the Lake of the Ozarks is happy to feature Ronald Carpenter this month. Here at Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, and Welch , we get to know our clients as we help them through serious legal issues. Read on to get to know one of our most experienced attorneys, Ronald Carpenter. Get to Know YOUR Lawyer - Ronald Carpenter Q: Where are you from? A: My name is Ronald K. Carpenter and I was born in Ventura, California, on November 4, 1948. I lived in southern California until 1959 when my parents purchased a small resort on the Glaize Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. My parents were unhappy with the smog and congestion in southern California and since they were both born in Missouri it felt natural to return to their roots. Q: Where did you attend school? A: I started attending the Camdenton R-III School system in the 6th grade in 1959 and graduated from high school here in 1966. I attended the Un...

There are over 65 million Americans living their lives with a criminal record. When you have a criminal record, you face many challenges in life, from finding a career to trying to rent an apartment. You may have done your time, but once your sentence is over, the struggle to live a normal life is real. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to share some significant statistics we have found regarding criminal records in America. Read on to see how these people will probably be impacted in life with a criminal record. If you ever find yourself facing criminal charges, call Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, and Welch immediately. We found this article on the National Institute of Justice website that clearly indicates how a major portion of the United States has a criminal record. Source:  https://www.nij.gov/journals/270/pages/criminal-records.aspx  - Amy Solomon A Substantial Share of the U.S. Population Has Arrest Records A ...

November is National Adoption Month! There are children and teens out there that are in need of good homes. According to the Adoption Network , 135,000 children are adopted in the U.S. each year and 428,000 are in foster care. Our family law attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to raise awareness about adoption in Missouri in honor of National Adoption Month. Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, and Welch are here to give statistics regarding adoption you should know, information regarding adoption law in Missouri, and information on how we can help you if you are looking to adopt a child or teen. Statistics Regarding Adoption You Should Know Source: Adoption Network Among the 135,000 children who are adopted each year and the 428,000 in foster care: Males outnumber females Over half are over 6 years old More than 60% of children who are in foster care spend 2-5 years and some never get adopted African America children are disproportionately represented In 2015, ove...

Many people don't realize they are making social media mistakes that could get their companies in huge legal trouble. Social media can be great tool to implement in your business's marketing campaign. Engaging with your clients on a regular basis can generate sales for your business. It is extremely important that you organize your social media campaign the correct way. Our experienced attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to help you avoid making social media mistakes for your business. Making one of these mistakes could cost you thousands of dollars in a lawsuit. Social Media Mistakes That Could Get You in Legal Trouble Creating false testimonials for your business There are companies who have their employees make up reviews on a regular basis and post them on their business's social media. If you do this you could be sued for a large amount of money. True reviews can be very influential and can sway potential clients to buy from your business. Acco...

Last month, we continued our blog series, Get to Know YOUR Lawyer, by featuring David T. Welch . This month, you will be getting to know YOUR lawyer, Charles E. McElyea, a little better. Here at our law firm at the Lake of the Ozarks , we get to know our clients. We are helping our clients with very personal issues, so we feel that it's important we get to know each other.  Get to Know YOUR Lawyer - Charles E. McElyea Q: What is your background in law? A: I have practiced law in the Lake of the Ozarks area since November of 1971. I joined the law firm of Phillips and Parrish after being discharged from the United States Army as a First Lieutenant. I am now the senior member of the law firm of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter and Welch, P.C . Since November of 1971, I have been engaged in the general practice of law, handling cases in state courts and representing clients in a variety of civil matters. My practice areas include representation in real estate matters...

Many people think that burglary, robbery, and theft are all the same crime, but that isn’t the case. They are each slightly different from the other. Why does this matter? The answer is that they all are different crimes, which means if committed they could all lead to different punishments, one more severe than the other. Our experienced attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks are here to put this confusion to rest and explain what burglary, robbery, and theft really are and what specifically makes these crimes different from one another.  Theft Theft is the most commonly committed crime between burglary, robbery, and theft. Theft is the taking of someone’s property without their consent and with no intention of returning that property to its rightful owner. There are 3 different points to consider when understanding theft: Property – Theft involves the taking of personal, tangible property from someone else. This means that you can’t consider it theft if you try to steal...