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 petition filed in Jackson County Circuit Court this February places before a judge the dissolution of a marriage that began in the summer of 2007.

Maxwell Woods, Jr. initiated the proceedings on February 3, 2026, when he filed a petition for dissolution of marriage with children against Cherina Woods. The filing asserts he has lived in Jackson County, Missouri, at an Independence address for more than 90 days prior to filing, and identifies the respondent as a resident of Clay County, Missouri. The couple married June 2, 2007, and have since lived separately, having ceased cohabitation in September 2020.

The petition outlines that neither party is on active duty in the armed forces and that both are over the age of 18. It records that three children were born of the marriage, and that Missouri is their home state for purposes of jurisdiction. It advances joint legal and physical custody as being in the children’s best interests under state statute, and seeks determinations of support pursuant to the relevant Missouri rules and forms.

In addition to custody and support questions, the filing seeks an equitable division of marital assets and debts in compliance with state law or, alternatively, asks the court to approve any stipulated settlement as not unconscionable. The petitioner also raises the prospect of maintenance and a determination of attorney fees and costs in accordance with statutory provisions.

This petition, lodged at a moment when calendars fill with early-year family law matters, reflects the procedural architecture of dissolution proceedings: affirm residency, assert jurisdiction, delineate statutory requests, and invite judicial assessment of custody, support, and the equitable distribution of financial obligations. The court will now assess these issues in the orderly progression of Missouri family law.

Please contact VowBreakers for access to documents related to the case.