ATTORNEYS AND STAFF

RONALD W. NELSON PA is a Kansas law firm focusing its practice on handling complex marital and non-marital domestic relations disputes, including separation and divorce, determination of parentage and associated issues (child custody, parenting time, spousal and child support) as well as the representation of parents in international and interstate child abduction and jurisdictional disputes. Trained in Collaborative Family law, the attorneys at Ronald W. Nelson PA are Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Licensed to practice law only in the State of Kansas

ATTORNEYS:

Ronald W. Nelson, Attorney/Principal

PARALEGALS/LEGAL ASSISTANTS

Betsy Nelson

Ronald W. Nelson PA
~ A Family Law Practice ~
11900 West 87^th Street Parkway; Suite 117
Lenexa (Shawnee Mission), Kansas 66215-4517
(Kansas City Metropolitan Area)
Telephone: (913) 312-2500
Telecopier: (913) 312-2501
contact at: ron@ronaldnelsonlaw.com

ATTORNEYS:

Ronald W. Nelson, Attorney/Principal

PARALEGALS/LEGAL ASSISTANTS:

Betsy Nelson

ATTORNEYS:

Ronald W. Nelson, born at Salina, Kansas, July 12, 1956. (See full curriculum vitae)

Ronald W. Nelson is the principal of Ronald W Nelson PA, which has its offices in Lenexa, Kansas. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1978 (B.S. Political Science, minor in Biology) and from Washburn University School of Law in 1981 (J.D., with honors). He began practicing law in 1981 with the law firm of Alder, Nelson & McKenna. He opened his own law practice in 1987 and associated with various other attorneys before establishing the current firm.

Mr. Nelson is recognized throughout Kansas and the United States as an expert in family law. He regularly writes articles for regional and national legal publications and he frequently presents seminars on complex issues in family law for local, regional, and national legal groups. He is a contributing author to the Practitioner’s Guide on Kansas Family Law, published by the Kansas Bar Association (1997 & supplements) with chapters on “Divorce, Separate Maintenance and Annulment” [Chapter 2], and “Child Custody, Parenting Time and Visitation” [Chapter 6]. He frequently testifies to the Kansas Legislature on issues effecting families in Kansas and on family law legislation. He was instrumental in helping to make significant revisions to Kansas child custody law and has worked to improve family law practice and procedure in Kansas. In addition, Mr. Nelson helped improve access to the courts by participating in drafting family law forms for Kansas statewide use.

Mr. Nelson is engaged in a civil trial and appellate practice that emphasizes client representation in complex divorce, non-marital, parentage, and post-decree matters and helping parents who seek the return of their children from interstate and international child abduction. Mr. Nelson has an extensive appellate practice having participated in over ninety appellate cases.

Mr. Nelson practices law before all trial and appellate courts in the State of Kansas. He is admitted to practice before the Kansas Supreme Court (1981), the United States District Court for the District of Kansas (1981), the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (2004), the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (1986), and the United States Supreme Court (1992). He is a member of the Johnson County, Kansas Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section), The Kansas Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section; Member, Legislative Committee 1991-present), and the American Bar Association (Member, Family Law Section; Member Law Practice Management Section; Member, Litigation Section; Member, Council of Appellate Lawyers) and he is a Fellow in both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Mr. Nelson served as President of the Kansas Bar Association Family Law Section for three terms between 2000 and 2004, served on the Governing Council of the American Bar Association Family Law Section from 2000-2006, and is a member of the Kansas Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee.

Published Appellate Cases:

Teepak v. Learned, 237 Kan. 320 (1985) (comparative negligence and indemnity – inclusion of later tortfeasors in initial action)

Gould v. Taco Bell, 239 Kan. 564 (1986) (comparison of intentional fault)

Summers v. Montgomery Elevator, 243 Kan. 639 (1988) (attorneys fees –standards for assessment in frivolous civil action)

Santaniello v. Santaniello, 18 Kan. App. 2d 112 (1992) (grandparent visitation-burden of proof requirement)

Ellis v. Berry, 19 Kan. App. 2d 105 (1993) (non-marital property division and trial procedure)

Marriage of Welliver, 254 Kan. 801 (1994) (service of process requirements and considerations in granting default judgment)

Barnett v. Barnett, 24 Kan. App. 2d 319 (1997) (protection from abuse standards for children)

Marriage of Scott, 263 Kan. 638 (1998) (child support – imputing of income to residential parent)

Sokol v. Kansas S.R.S., 267 Kan. 740 (1999) (administrative standards on allegations of child abuse)

Marriage of Gordon-Hanks, 27 Kan.App.2d 987 (2000) (domestic relations case management standards)

Johnson v. Stephenson, 28 Kan.App.2d 275 (2000) (child custody – binding effect of parental agreement when there is a later dispute)

Marriage of Ronen, 29 Kan.App.2d 443 (2001) (child support – defining expenses included in basic child support amount)

Trolinger v. Trolinger, 30 Kan.App.2d 192 (2001) (protection from abuse standards for adults)

Marriage of Kopac, 30 Kan.App.2d 735 (2002) (spousal support – considerations in termination on basis of “cohabitation”)

Marriage of Jennings, 30 Kan.App.2d 860 (2002) (child custody – binding effect of parental agreement when there is a later dispute)

DeGraeve v. Holm, 30 Kan.App.2d 865 (2002) (grandparent visitation – burden of proof, upholding grandparent visitation)

Skillett v. Sierra, 30 Kan.App.2d 1041 (2002) (child support – financial considerations and adjustment; award of retroactive child support in parentage cases)

State ex rel. SRS v. Strotkamp, 30 Kan.App.2d 1143 (2002) (grandparent visitation – burden of proof, upholding grandparent visitation)

Graham v. Cirrocco, 31 Kan.App.2d 563 (2003) (physician non-competition agreements – validity and standards for court review)

 Magstadtova v. Magstadt, 31 Kan.App.2d 1091 (2003) (International Child Abduction – standards for assessment of attorneys fees and expenses under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of 25 October 1980)

Marriage of Ehinger, 34 Kan.App.2d 583 (2005) (spousal support – statutory power to modify spousal support)

Marriage of Hall, – Kan.App.2d – (2010) (insurance – court’s power to order cooperation with person seeking insurance on former spouse’s life)

PARALEGALS / LEGAL ASSISTANTS (not authorized to practice law):

Betsy Nelson, Paralegal and Office Manager

Education: 

American Institute, Phoenix, Arizona (Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree, 1990). 

Adriana Feliciano, Paralegal

Education:

Ronald W. Nelson PA
~ A Family Law Practice ~
Suite 117; 11900 West 87^th Street Parkway
Lenexa, Kansas 66215-4517
(Kansas City Metropolitan Area)
Telephone: (913) 312-2500 | Telecopier: (913) 312-2501
contact at: ron@ronaldnelsonlaw.com
www.twitter.com/kansasdivorce

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Last updated 07/15/2009