Best Divorce Lawyers in Indiana
Melissa Winkler-York
Divorce Lawyers
Melissa Winkler-York opened her own law practice in July 2009 after working as an associate attorney at another law firm for almost five years. She was admitted to the Indiana Bar in the fall of 2004, having earned her J.D. at the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis (now called the Robert H. McKinney School of Law). She attended Purdue University and earned her B.A. in 2000.
Melissa is licensed to practice in the State of Indiana, the U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, and the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Melissa also occasionally serves as a judge pro tempore and guardian ad litem.
Melissa handles family law cases in Marion and Johnson Counties. She also works as a guardian ad litem and a mediator.
Julie C. Dixon
Divorce Lawyers
Julie C. Dixon is a shareholder at Dixon & Moseley, P.C. , where she practices in the areas of family law, probate administration and estates. Ms. Dixon has co-written, taught and researched several articles on family law and domestic relations matters. She earned her B.S. degree from the Indiana University, Bloomington, and her J.D. degree from the Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis. Ms. Dixon is a member of the Indianapolis and Indiana bar associations.
Most good lawyering occurs outside the confines of the courthouse or its corridors or courtrooms. In fact, a client’s legal objectives are most often best met and served by resolution before trial. This is self-apparent, but nonetheless exceedingly difficult to accomplish. This requires an empathetic attorney to sort through the emotional dynamics and overall financial and legal components of the case. At this, Ms. Dixon excels for three reasons. First, she has a strong sense of civic duty and generously donates her time, energy and resources to charitable endeavors; this keeps her in tune with realities of the hardships of the times and with community values. She knows and works with many real families and businesses as they reach milestones and address setbacks.
Second, her legal acumen is augmented by Ms. Dixon’s Indiana University, Kelly School of Business, Bloomington, undergraduate education. With her bachelor’s of science degree, Ms. Dixon minored in the arts, psychology. She received her J.D. from Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis.
Ms. Dixon is attuned to, and sympathetic of, the psycho-social dynamics underpinning any legal issue at hand. Cast in this shadow, she is nonetheless able to rapidly identify the controlling legal matter and synthesize a balanced approach – one cognizant of the complexity of the emotional needs of life and its intersection with financial well-being in the context of legal matters.
CAREY YORK
Divorce Lawyers
Carey D. York is an attorney with experience in all types of legal matters, but mainly in criminal defense and family law. Prior to joining Eskew Law, Carey worked with Sorrell & Associates in Fortville, with a general practice centered in Hancock County, and Cairns Law, LLC, doing primarily divorce cases in Broad Ripple. Before that, Carey spent nearly eleven years at the Marion County Public Defender Agency, more than half of that time as a supervising attorney. A veteran of over one hundred jury and bench trials, Carey has tried cases all over central Indiana.
Carey is a life-long resident of Indiana and a graduate of Indiana University, both bachelors and doctor of jurisprudence. He lives in Lawrence, with his wife and two children. He’s active in the Indianapolis Bar Association, the Oaklandon Little League, and the Amy Beverland Dads Club. When not in court or the office, he’s probably spending time with his family or devoting time to his hobbies (yelling about Indiana University football, and grill and smoking meats).
Activities & Affiliations
- Indianapolis Bar Association
- Oaklandon Little League
- Amy Beverland Dads Club
Bar Admission
- Indiana
Angie Trapp
Divorce Lawyers
Angie Trapp, a native Hoosier, is a graduate of Penn High School (Mishawaka) and Indiana University-Bloomington. Angie’s first experience in the law occurred in college when she served as a Justice on the Indiana University Student Association’s Supreme Court. She graduated IU with a degree in Political Science.
After college, Angie earned a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Michigan’s top-ranked School of Public Health and worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield in Detroit, Michigan. As a result of her achievements, Angie was awarded a prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship in Washington, D.C. While serving in our nation’s capital, Angie worked for the United States House of Representative’s Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Food and Drug Administration. For her efforts, she received the Outstanding Achievement Award for her work on the Medicare Modernization Act of 2004, which created the current Medicare drug benefit program.
Having desired to be a lawyer her whole life, Angie moved back to her native Indiana to attend law school at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University in Bloomington. While in law school, she participated in the School’s mock trial team and spent her summers working as a law clerk at the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, and at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
Angie’s passion and talents in the courtroom lead her to take a full-time position as a deputy prosecuting attorney at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office concentrating on felony and domestic violence cases. She was a lead attorney on more than 10 jury trials and more than 80 bench trials and appeared in court on hundreds of occasions. Following her tenure at the Prosecutor’s Office, Angie decided to enter private practice and diversify her skills. She joined an Indianapolis law firm as an associate attorney concentrating in civil law.
Judy G. Hester
Divorce Lawyers
Judy G. Hester is a 1986 Cum Laude graduate of Loyola University in Chicago, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work. She is admitted to practice law in the States of Illinois and Indiana, as well as the U.S. District Courts in the Southern District of Indiana, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Court of Federal Claims. Judy’s diverse experience and training, combined with compassion and understanding, is the foundation for the Brazill Hester law firm and the commitment to promote the legal interests of each of the firm’s clients. Judy concentrates in issues affecting most individuals and families, including divorce, paternity, child custody disputes, parenting time, property valuation/division, and land use issues. She served as a commercial litigator for the prestigious law firm of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson through its Chicago office, subsequently managed the nationwide litigation efforts for Sears Mortgage Corporation (n/k/a PNC Mortgage Corporation), and later continued to counsel Sears Mortgage and its successors following moves to the United Kingdom and later to Indiana.
Her litigation and dispute resolution work continued in 1998 in Indiana, representing the Boone County Area Plan Commission, the City of Carmel, and expanding to family companies and individuals. Judy’s clients benefit not only from her skilled representation earned through her comprehensive legal experience, but also from her compassion that has naturally developed as a result of her long-standing commitment to serving others. Judy is a Registered Domestic Relations Mediator and a trained Collaborative Law Professional, Parenting Coordinator, and Guardian ad Litem. She is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Central Indiana Association of Collaborative Professionals, the ISBA, and is the Chairperson for the ISBA Children’s Rights Committee.
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
- Juris Doctor – 1986
- Honors: cum laude
- Loyola University, Chicago
- Master’s degree in Social Work – 1986
Alexa D. Bischoff
Divorce Lawyers
Alexa was born and raised in Southern Indiana. She and her husband, Blake, have 3 wonderful children, Ellie, Brewster, and Audra. Alexa obtained a bachelor’s degree in English and Professional Writing from Indiana University and a law degree from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she graduated as a W. Bruce Lunsford Academy Scholar. During law school, Alexa worked at a firm in Kentucky, assisting with criminal defense, personal injury, and family law matters. She was also involved with the Kentucky Innocence Project through an externship.
Upon earning her law degree in May 2019, Alexa returned to Southern Indiana. She began her legal career as a Local Office Attorney for the Indiana Department of Child Services after she was admitted to the Indiana Bar in October 2019. Alexa later became a Deputy Prosecutor in Scott County and prosecuted felony and misdemeanor drug crimes. Alexa uses her knowledge and experience to advocate for her clients with both empathy and respect. When Alexa isn’t working, she is creating memories with her husband and 3 young children or is embracing her green thumb.
Practice Areas
Megan L. Gehring
Divorce Lawyers
Megan (Clearwaters) Gehring graduated from George Mason University School of Law magna cum laude and was admitted to the Indiana Bar in 2012. She has been included in the Super Lawyers Rising Stars edition for the past 3 years. She is a registered Collaborative Practitioner as the “typical” marriage dissolution process is not the right fit for everyone.
Megan’s focus is on Family Law matters and Appeals. She is a Registered Family Law Mediator, Guardian ad Litem, and Parenting Coordinator. Megan has been involved in our firm’s litigation that has focused on the protection of same-sex people’s rights and was part of the legal team which was successful in making the State of Indiana recognize both mothers as the parent of a child born to one of the mothers during their marriage.
Areas Of Practice
- Family Law 80%
Bar Admissions
- Supreme Court of Indiana, 2012
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 2014
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 2014
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2014
- United States Supreme Court, 2020
Katherine Elizabeth Flood
Divorce Lawyers
Indianapolis divorce attorney Katherine E. (“Kate”) Flood is a distinguished G. Kent Frandsen scholar and a cum laude graduate of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. As a family law lawyer, Ms. Flood has concentrated her practice on dissolution, legal separation, relocation, child custody, paternity, parenting time/visitation, spousal maintenance/alimony, and guardianships.
In dissolution actions, Kate concentrates on child-related matters, taking a very active and engaged role when it comes to her clients and their children. She also places great emphasis on the financial matters that accompany divorce: analyzing, valuing, dividing, restructuing and protecting marital assets. Her experience extends to the application and drafting of prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, protective orders, restraining orders, post-secondary education issues, and all post-dissolution matters. Kate is certified in Collaborative Law.
Ms. Flood has a breadth of litigation experience, including representing clients at evidentiary hearings and trials before paternity courts, IV-D Support Enforcement courts, and family law courts in counties throughout central Indiana. She also has experience with alternative dispute resolution both as counsel representing clients involved in the mediation process, and as a civil mediator. In addition, Kate has co-authored appellate legal briefs submitted before the Indiana Court of Appeals.
As a student of the IU McKinney School of Law, Kate was active within the Dean’s Tutorial Society, being selected as the Director of the One-on-One Tutoring Program during her third year. Kate was also a faculty research assistant, and served as the Spanish language translator/interpreter for the law school’s Civil Practice and Health & Human Rights Clinics. Ms. Flood holds the distinction of being named a G. Kent Frandsen scholar, and was prominently featured in the premier issue of “The McKinney Lawyer,” the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney Alumni Magazine. Read the article featuring Kate on page eight, here.
During law school, Ms. Flood also worked as law clerk to the Honorable Judge William Hughes of the Hamilton Superior Court, performed transactional work for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and she participated in a medical-legal partnership initiative with Wishard Health Services, wherein healthcare providers and legal professionals worked together to provide comprehensive patient care to low-income individuals in Indianapolis.
Kate is a Butler University alumna, earning a degree in English Literature cum laude as well as a degree in Spanish with high honors. While attending Butler, Kate earned the Elaine Blaine Rudolph Scholarship Award, was named to Butler University’s Top 100 Students in 2006, and was inducted into a number of academic honor societies.Kate is admitted to all Indiana Courts, as well as the Northern and Southern District Courts of Indiana.
Robert A. Plantz
Divorce Lawyers
Areas Of Practice
- Divorce & Family Law
- Child Support
- Custody & Visitation
Bar Admissions
- Indiana, 2000
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
Education
- Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana
- J.D. – 1999
- Purdue University
- B.A. – 1996
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Lake County Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Indiana State Bar Association, Member
Hiring the best divorce lawyer in Indiana can be essential due to the complexities of divorce laws in the state and the potential economic impact of divorce on various aspects of your life. Here’s why you might need a top divorce lawyer in Indiana:
Understanding Indiana Laws: Divorce laws can vary from state to state. An experienced Indiana divorce lawyer will have a deep understanding of the state’s family law statutes, ensuring that your case is handled in compliance with local legal requirements.
Property Division: Indiana follows the principle of equitable distribution when dividing marital property. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean an equal 50-50 split. A top divorce lawyer can help ensure that property division is fair and that your financial interests are protected.
Spousal Maintenance: Indiana allows for spousal maintenance (alimony) based on various factors. A knowledgeable lawyer can help you negotiate or litigate for a fair spousal maintenance arrangement based on your financial circumstances.
Child Custody and Support: If you have children, issues related to child custody, visitation, and support can have a substantial impact on your financial situation. A skilled lawyer can help you navigate these matters while advocating for the best interests of your children.
Complex Financial Matters: Divorce can involve complex financial assets, such as investments, retirement accounts, and businesses. A top divorce lawyer can ensure that these assets are properly valued and divided according to Indiana law.
Legal Strategy: Each divorce case is unique, and having a skilled lawyer means having someone who can develop a legal strategy tailored to your specific circumstances and goals.
Negotiation and Mediation: Many divorce cases are resolved through negotiation and mediation rather than through a trial. A skilled lawyer can guide you through these processes to help achieve mutually agreeable settlements, which can save time and money.
Protection of Rights: Divorce can be emotionally charged, and it’s important to have a lawyer who can protect your legal rights and ensure that you’re not taken advantage of during negotiations or proceedings.
Economic Impact of Divorce:
Divorce can have significant economic consequences for both spouses, including:
Property Division: The division of marital property can result in the loss of assets that were accumulated during the marriage. This can impact financial stability and future planning.
Alimony and Child Support: Financial obligations such as alimony and child support can affect your cash flow and overall financial situation post-divorce.
Legal Fees: Legal fees associated with divorce can be substantial. Hiring a skilled lawyer can be an investment in protecting your financial interests.
Changes in Lifestyle: Post-divorce, each spouse may need to adjust their lifestyle due to changes in income and expenses.
Retirement Planning: Divorce can impact retirement savings and planning, especially if retirement accounts are subject to division.
Employment: The stress of divorce and the need to adapt to new circumstances can impact employment and earning potential.
It’s important to be proactive about financial planning during and after divorce. Consulting financial professionals, like accountants or financial advisors, in addition to hiring a skilled divorce lawyer, can help you navigate the economic aspects of divorce and make informed decisions to protect your financial future.