Firm Overview
Family law matters really do matter. Kathleen M. Murphy is an experienced attorney who practices exclusively in family law, and she may be able to help with your family law concern.
Ms. Murphy vigorously advocates for her clients' interests - whether negotiating an out-of-court settlement or presenting the law and evidence to support the client's position in court. Ms. Murphy works closely with every client so the client feels heard and well-informed throughout the legal proceeding. As a creative problem solver Ms. Murphy focuses on finding practical, long-term solutions to family law problems. By getting it right the first time, the client's resources are conserved, the adults involved are more likely to comply with the final court order, and the client is more satisfied.
When children are involved, Ms. Murphy's priority is put the children first. Her philosophy is that working with the client to achieve an outcome that is in the children's best interests is more satisfying for the client and more likely to prevent frequent disputes after the final order is issued. Again - getting it right the first time conserves financial resources so the parent or guardian can better provide for the child.
Every family is unique. Whether there are children or no children, your family law problem is unique too. Kathleen M. Murphy - Attorney at Law is dedicated to finding a solution that works best for you.
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Attorney Profile
Ms. Murphy has been in practice since 1999. Her legal career has always focused on family law. Ms. Murphy is active in the Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Section and the Hennepin County Bar Association, and she serves on several committees in the legal community. Ms. Murphy is a volunteer guardian ad litem and she is also a registered nurse. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Murphy worked in the public health field and on improving access to health care by helping to launch MinnesotaCare and its predecessor, the Children's Health Plan, statewide.
Ms. Murphy's extensive experience with issues that involve families and children enhances her skills as a family law attorney. Her clients include mothers, fathers, men and women without children, grandparents, and other adults with a legal concern involving children.
Education
J.D., 1999, admitted to practice in Minnesota
Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
Dean's List for academic achievement
Masters, Public Health
B.S., Nursing
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Honors in Public Health
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Areas of Practice
Ms. Murphy is licensed to practice in Minnesota and accepts cases regarding:
- Dissolution of marriage (divorce with or without children)
- Paternity
- Child custody
- Child support
- Parenting time (visitation)
- Grandparent visitation
- Other third party custody or visitation
- Post-decree disputes
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Why Choose Murphy
As the principal attorney and owner of the firm of Kathleen M. Murphy - Attorney at Law, Ms. Murphy provides personal, efficient, high quality legal representation for a fair price. Ms. Murphy accepts cases at any point in the proceeding when appropriate, from drafting the initial papers to handling the appeal. One-time consultations are charged at the hourly rate and usually take 30 minutes to one hour.
Despite the stresses and difficulties that may accompany your family law concern, Kathleen M. Murphy - Attorney at Law will strive to find a solution that draws on the individual and family strengths in your situation so you can move forward in a positive way when your legal matter is finished.
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Legal Horizon
- Child
Support - New Minnesota Guidelines Now In Effect
Minnesota's child support law changed significantly on 1/1/07. Summary: Minnesota’s child support law requires that three types of child support be calculated: 1) Basic Support for food, clothing, shelter, etc.; 2) Health Care, and 3) Child Care. Basic Support is calculated using both parents’ gross monthly incomes. The law presumes that both parents can be gainfully employed full time. If a parent is not fully employed, that parent’s potential income may be decided by the court using the methods stated in the law. For Health Care Support, the parents must decide which parent will provide health insurance for the child. The health insurance must be considered “appropriate” as defined in the law, and the amount of support will depend on which parent is paying the premium. For Child Care Support, the amount will depend on which parent is paying for child care.The law is in Minn. Stat. 518A: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us
Calculate child support on-line: http://childsupportcalculator.dhs.state.mn.us/
- Moving
Child to Another State - The Legal Standard is the Child's Best Intersts
Minnesota's law regarding moving a child's residence to another state changed significantly on 8/1/06. Summary: The law now applies a different standard for the court to decide if a custodial parent will be allowed to move with the child to another state. The law states that if a noncustodial parent has a parenting time court order and does not agree to the custodial parent moving with the child to another state, the court must decide whether to approve the move based on what is in the child's best interests. The law lists several factors the court must consider when determining whether the move is in the child's best interests. The parent who is requesting the move has the burden of proving that the move is in the child's best interests. The exception is that if the parent requesting the move has been a victim of domestic abuse by the other parent, the parent opposing the move has the burden of proving that the move is not in the child's best interests.
The law is in Minn. Stat. 518.175, Subd. 3: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us
- Joint
Physical Custody - A Creative Model
In some situations, parents may decide to co-parent their children after the divorce without moving the children out of the family home. This form of joint physical custody is called "shared parenting in residence," or "bird-nesting." Shared parenting in residence is good for kids because there is less disruption during a time that is already unsettling. The children don't have to change schools or sleep in different beds. They keep the same friends and neighbors, and their daily routines don't change very much. The parents take turns staying with the children in the family home, based on a schedule that works for the parents.
The parents' schedules can range from trading every week to trading every several weeks. When a parent is "off duty," she or he stays at a different residence. In some situations, parents take turns going back and forth between the family home and a shared second residence, such as a small apartment. Otherwise, each parent maintains a separate residence for the "off-duty" time, which may include staying with a friend or relative. The point is that with shared parenting in residence, the parents work together to find a schedule that works for them while maintaining stability for their children even after the parents are divorced.
Shared parenting in residence is not for everyone. It works only when both parents can focus cooperatively on the children and set aside the negative emotions between them. Both parents must also be willing to put up with the inconvenience of moving between two residences. Ms. Murphy can explore this as an option for you. If it is feasible for your family, she can assist with putting together a workable plan based on your family resources and capabilities.
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