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 the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, a filing places Benton Lee Austin and Kathryn Marie Austin at the start of a legal process designed to settle the formal end of a marriage. The petition for dissolution—addressing custody and support as well—entered the court record March 3, 2026.
The document states that Benton Lee Austin has been a resident of St. Louis City, Missouri, for more than ninety days preceding the filing. Kathryn Marie Austin is listed as a resident of St. Louis County, Missouri, also for at least ninety days before the case was initiated. According to the petition, the parties were married April 14, 2015, in Denton, Texas, where the marriage was registered.
Court records indicate the couple separated on or about January 1, 2025. The filing asserts that the marriage is irretrievably broken and that there is no reasonable likelihood it can be preserved. The petition also states that neither party is an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces.
The petition asks the court to dissolve the marriage and to order joint legal and joint physical custody under a parenting plan filed with the court. It further requests that child support be determined according to Missouri statutory guidelines and that marital assets and debts be addressed through an agreement between the parties or, if none exists, divided in a fair and equitable manner. The filing notes that certain real property owned by the respondent was acquired prior to the marriage and is identified as separate property.
With the petition now docketed, the case proceeds into the structured rhythm of domestic relations litigation. From this point forward, the matter will move through filings, responses, and judicial consideration—steps that translate the dissolution of a private partnership into determinations the court can formally record and enforce.
Please contact VowBreakers for access to documents related to the case.
