La Grange Child Support Lawyer

Trusted Child Support Attorney Serving La Grange

When the Number Doesn’t Feel Fair

Determining child support can feel overwhelming. You want to make sure your kids are fully supported, their routines aren’t disrupted, and the agreement accurately reflects both parents’ real financial situations—without the stress of constant return trips to court.

You don’t have to navigate this process alone.

At Straw-Boone Doheny Banks Mudd Catalano & McKinney, our team includes three Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a credential earned through extensive trial experience, peer review, and judicial endorsement. We work with parents in La Grange and Oldham County every week on child support matters.

We understand local guidelines and how judges apply them. Our goal is simple: to secure a child support arrangement that is fair, accurate, and tailored to your family’s actual needs.

How Kentucky Calculates What You Owe or Receive

Kentucky does not leave child support to a judge’s gut feeling. The amount is set using the state’s child support guidelines under Kentucky Revised Statutes 403.212, which run both parents’ combined gross income through a statutory table to reach a number the law presumes is fair. That guideline number then adjusts for health insurance costs, work-related childcare, and how many overnights each parent has with the kids.

That presumption can be challenged, and it should be, when the numbers behind it are wrong. Parents sometimes underreport income, leave out a bonus or commission, or work a second job off the books. As a La Grange child support lawyer team, our attorneys pull the real financial picture together, income statement by income statement, so the worksheet reflects what is true, not what the other side wants a judge to believe.

When Your Life Changes, Your Order Should Too

A child support order in Kentucky is not permanent. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes 403.213, a parent can ask the court to modify support after a job loss, a new job, a change in custody time, or another material change in circumstances.

If reapplying the guidelines would move your payment by 15% or more, Kentucky law presumes that change is significant enough to justify a new order. Smaller shifts can still qualify, but you carry more of the burden to show why.

We help parents on both sides of that conversation, whether you need a lower payment after a layoff or a higher one because your ex’s income has finally caught up to reality.

Your Case Belongs in the Oldham County Family Court

Child support matters for La Grange families are heard in the Oldham County Family Court, part of the 12th Judicial Circuit at the Oldham County Courthouse on West Main Street. Family court dockets in Oldham County are split by case type.

Divorce motions and domestic violence matters are generally heard on Fridays, while paternity and child support status hearings are generally heard on the second Thursday of the month. Filing deadlines differ for each, so knowing which docket your case falls on matters.

Our attorneys have built decades of family court experience across the Louisville region, and we bring that knowledge to every child support case from the day you first walk in.

Three AAML Fellows on Your Side

Fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers requires at least seven years of practice, extensive trial experience, and endorsement by judges and peers. Our firm has three Fellows: Melanie Straw-Boone, Laurel Doheny, and Thomas E. Banks II. Laurel Doheny also served as President of the Louisville Bar Association, a peer-elected role among practicing attorneys that reflects standing in the legal community, not just with clients.

That depth of experience matters in a child support case, because getting the number right the first time means fewer trips back to court later, and less strain on you and your kids while the case is open.

What to Expect Before Your First Court Date

What happens at my first child support hearing?

The court reviews the guideline worksheet, both parents’ income documents, and any request to deviate from the standard formula, then sets a temporary or final amount.

How is my child support amount calculated?

It starts with both parents’ combined gross income run through Kentucky’s statutory guideline table, then adjusts for parenting time, health insurance, and childcare costs.

Can my child support order be changed later?

Yes. A material change in circumstances, often a 15% or greater shift in the calculated amount, can support a modification, and smaller changes can qualify too with the right showing.

What does it cost to hire a child support lawyer in La Grange?

Cost depends on how contested your case is and how much financial digging it takes. Contact us for a consultation and we’ll walk you through the details before you commit to anything.

Do I need a lawyer if the other parent and I already agree on an amount?

An agreement still has to hold up under the guidelines for a judge to approve it, and having a lawyer review it protects you if circumstances change later.

If a question you have isn’t answered here, ask us directly and we’ll give you a straight answer.

Let’s Get a Number That Works for Your Family

You shouldn’t have to guess whether your child support order is fair, or fight that battle without someone who knows both the guidelines and this courthouse.

Contact our team today to schedule a consultation about your La Grange child support case, and let’s find a number that holds up in court and works in your day-to-day life.

This page reflects Kentucky child support law as of August 2026. We review it quarterly for updates.