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FAMILY LAW

When a family is in the throes of change, the qualities of the attorneys who represent them become crucial. Moss & Barnett’s Family Law group offers a unique blend of honesty, objectivity, discretion and compassion, combined with the years of experience needed to bring a common sense perspective to the proceeding. In addition, the family law attorneys at Moss & Barnett have earned national reputations for their contributions to developing and interpreting Minnesota family law.

We educate and advise our clients, helping them make clear, rational decisions in the face of sensitive personal issues. Our advice unites our own expertise with the resources of a broad spectrum of other professionals. These might include:

Other Moss & Barnett attorneys with expertise in business, trusts and estates, tax law and employee benefits
Accountants with expertise in business valuations and family finance
Therapists
Mediators or arbitrators

Our clients are involved throughout the process, for this is the key to creating an acceptable solution and to avoiding unnecessary litigation. We are dedicated to using Alternative Dispute Resolution, but we are also prepared to zealously litigate whenever that is in the client’s best interest.

A substantial part of our family law practice involves cases with:

Businesses
Professional practices
Intellectual property
Complex spousal maintenance and asset valuation issues, including identifying marital and non-marital property.

Among the services provided by Moss & Barnett’s family law attorneys are the following:

Negotiating and drafting premarital and post-marital agreements
Assisting clients through dissolution proceedings, seeking resolution through early settlement and litigating, if necessary
Helping clients resolve custody and related issues
Advising clients concerning the impact of family law matters on businesses, professional practices, non-marital property, intellectual property and other complex financial arrangements
Consulting with clients regarding asset protection, including protecting all income-producing assets and activities
Representing clients on appeals
Advising clients regarding modification of existing court orders
Mediating disputes as neutral intermediaries

Ultimately, the Moss & Barnett Family Law group seeks to guide clients through difficult personal matters so they will do the right thing for themselves, their family members, their business or professional relationships, and all others affected by the matter. We help our clients take the high road while dealing with some of life’s most difficult and disruptive family law matters.

Attorneys in this Area

Susan C. Rhode
(Co-Chair)

Edward L. Winer
(Co-Chair)

Shannon M. Bixby-Pankratz

Kim R. Bonuomo

Jana Aune Deach

James J. Vedder

News Headlines

Case Summaries

Family Law

[02/02] Southerland v. City of New York
In a suit under 42 USC Section 1983 asserting that a New York City children's services caseworker entered the plaintiffs' home unlawfully and effected an unconstitutional removal of children into state custody, the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defendant caseworker is: 1) affirmed with respect to the dismissal of the father's substantive due process claim; but 2) vacated with respect to the father's and his children's Fourth Amendment unlawful-search and Fourteenth Amendment procedural due process claims and the children's unlawful-seizure claim, where the district court wrongfully concluded that the caseworker was entitled to qualified immunity with respect to all of the claims against him.

[02/02] Marriage of Walker
In a family court proceeding in which the recipient of a California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) disability allowance challenged earlier family court orders awarding a community property interest in the allowance to his former spouse, the family court's denial of the appellant's motion to set aside the earlier orders is reversed, where the family court erred as a matter of law in concluding that the recipient had made "no mistake" in agreeing that his spouse had a community property interest in his disability allowance and thus should not have denied his motion on this basis.

[02/02] Marriage of Wahl
On appeal from an order requiring an ex-wife to pay to her former husband $552,153.28 in attorney's fees and costs as a sanction because of her conduct with respect to two post-dissolution orders, the order is affirmed, where the record disclosed no abuse of discretion in the trial court's award, and additional sanctions are imposed against the appellant and her appellate attorneys on a finding that the appeal is frivolous.

[01/31] T.W. v. Superior Court (San Diego County Health and Human Servs. Agency)
In proceedings in mandate to review an order designating the specific placement of a dependent child after termination of parental rights, the petition is granted with directions, where the district court abused its discretion by denying a petition by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency to remove the child from the home of his prospective adoptive parent, because the district court did not give appropriate weight to the legislature's goal of securing an adoptive home for a dependent child that is free from the influences of criminal activity and substance abuse.

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4800 WELLS FARGO CENTER | 90 South Seventh Street | Minneapolis, MN 55402-4129
P: 612-877-5000 F: 612-877-5999 Contact us

FAMILY LAW

Attorneys in this Area

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News Headlines

Case Summaries

Family Law