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.
A marriage that began in the late 1980s has now entered the formal process of dissolution in Missouri’s family court system. A petition filed in March 6, 2026 in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Family Court Division at Independence, asks the court to dissolve the marriage between Kendall R. Garten and Kimberly A. Garten after more than three decades together.
According to the filing, the parties were married on July 22, 1989, in Jackson County, Missouri, where the marriage was registered. The petition states that both individuals have been residents of Missouri for more than 90 days preceding the filing and currently reside in Jackson County. The couple separated in or around October 2024.
The filing indicates that the marriage is “irretrievably broken,” with no reasonable likelihood that it can be preserved. It also notes that the children of the marriage are adults who are fully independent and legally emancipated. The respondent is not pregnant, according to the petition.
The parties accumulated marital property and debt during the marriage but have already reached a full written settlement governing how those matters will be handled. The petition further states that neither party is seeking maintenance and that neither is a member of the Armed Forces. The petitioner asks the court to dissolve the marriage and approve the parties’ agreement regarding property and debt, along with any other relief the court deems appropriate.
Filings like this mark the beginning of a procedural sequence rather than its conclusion. In Missouri’s family courts, petitions for dissolution establish the framework for final orders, whether through agreement or further proceedings, and they reflect the administrative step of bringing a long-standing personal arrangement into formal legal closure.
Please contact VowBreakers for access to documents related to the case.
