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 a five-page filing now before the Family Court of St. Louis County, Candace B. Harris asks that her marriage to Stirling J. Harris, Jr., be dissolved. The petition, entered under cause number 26SL-DR00454, was filed February 2, 2026, by counsel on her behalf.
Candace states that she has been a resident of Missouri for more than ninety days preceding the filing and, in fact, for her entire life. She asserts that Stirling has likewise resided in Missouri for the required period. The parties were married June 3, 2006, in Granite City, Madison County, Illinois, where the marriage was registered. They separated in or about August 2021. Neither party, the petition notes, is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States.
The marriage, according to the filing, is irretrievably broken, with no reasonable likelihood it can be preserved. Two unemancipated children were born of the marriage. Candace requests sole legal and physical custody, with her residence designated for mailing and educational purposes, and states that no arrangements have been made regarding custody or support. She further affirms that she has not participated in other custody litigation and is unaware of any pending proceedings involving the children.
The petition also addresses property and support. Candace asserts that the parties accumulated marital assets and debts during the marriage and asks the court for a fair and equitable division. She states that each party possesses certain separate property. While she contends that Stirling is capable of supporting himself and able to provide child support and maintenance, she declares that she does not require maintenance. She seeks child support consistent with Form 14, retroactive to the filing of the petition, along with attorneys’ fees and costs.
By early February, when the administrative rhythms of a new year are settling into place, such petitions begin their course through docket settings and required disclosures. The filing does not resolve the matters it raises; it marks the formal accounting of a marriage that lasted nearly two decades and now moves into the structured process Missouri law provides.
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