Disclaimer: All facts gleaned from the filings stated hereafter are only as truthful as the petitioner. The tone of this article expresses a style of writing historically employed by America’s greatest writers and, as such, is for opinion purposes only. No intentional harm is due. Do not read if the topic of divorce (even your own) causes you emotional distress. Continue at your own risk.

In Jackson County, Missouri, a forty-year marriage is moving toward its conclusion. On August 27, 2025, Larry D. Franks, Jr. filed a petition in Family Court seeking the dissolution of his union with Margaret Ann Franks. The couple married on August 10, 1985, in Sioux City, Iowa, and separated in April 2024.

The petition, submitted through attorney Troy J. Leavitt of the Troy J. Leavitt Law Firm, LLC, describes a marriage that has reached an irretrievable breakdown. The filing cites “irretrievably broken” as the reason for divorce, noting that reconciliation is not possible. There are no minor or dependent children involved, and Margaret Ann Franks is not pregnant. Neither spouse serves in the armed forces.

The court filing acknowledges both the assets and debts accumulated over four decades of marriage, asking that marital property be divided equitably and that each spouse retain their non-marital property. Both Larry and Margaret are described as financially independent, capable of supporting themselves without maintenance. Each party is expected to pay their own legal expenses, unless litigation becomes unnecessarily prolonged.

For the petitioner, who has lived in Jackson County for more than ninety days before filing, the request is straightforward: recognition by the court that the marriage has ended and that its obligations should now be fairly divided.

The petition, signed and verified before a notary, reflects a marriage once long-standing but now reduced to filings and signatures. August 27, 2025, marks the official date the process of dissolution began.

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