A court order in a divorce, separation or paternity action can instruct one party to make ongoing payments to the other, in various ways. Common examples are child support payments and spousal support (maintenance payments). Unfortunately, it is common for a party entitled to receive child support or maintenance to not receive payments, as ordered. […]
There are many benefits to filing jointly for divorce, but there are also some potential pitfalls to be aware of, as you move through the process. A divorce can be filed as a contested matter, with one party as the Petitioner and one as the Respondent. A divorce can also be filed as an uncontested […]
One of the first questions people ask divorce attorneys is how much money the divorce process will ultimately cost them. It makes sense to want to know how to budget for legal fees incurred during a divorce, and it’s normal to want to be able to expect a total divorce cost, when all is said […]
When the parents of a child are unmarried, it would be beneficial for the father to establish legal paternity. If paternity is not legally established, the mother has sole custody and placement of the child, and the father has no legal rights. This is the case even if both parties know who the biological father […]
Maintenance, sometimes known as alimony or spousal support, can be awarded by the court in proceedings related to divorce, annulment, or legal separation. Maintenance has two objectives: to support the recipient in according with the needs and earning capacities of the parties, and to ensure a fair and equitable financial agreement between them. Its purpose […]
Filing for divorce or legal separation can result in a lot of changes taking place within a very short time. Often, at the time of filing, the parties live together, and a decision must be made about who remains living in the marital residence. The parties to a divorce or separation may share expenses and […]
Parents with shared physical placement of their children, should keep in mind the laws establishing requirements of notice. Wisconsin Statute 767.481 provides rules concerning how to give proper notice in cases in which a parent wishes to move a child either 150 miles away from the other parent or out of state. The moving parent […]
For initial determinations of custody in a divorce, Wisconsin law states that the court must presume that it is in the best interests of a child for the child’s parents to have joint legal custody, or decision-making power. In other words, the State believes that it is best, by default, for children to have significant […]
Wisconsin grandparent visitation is an option for grandparents who have developed close relationships with their grandchildren. Divorcing parents sometimes try to prevent grandparents from seeing or spending time with grandchildren. This can be frustrating to grandparents who want to remain an important part of their grandchildren’s lives. Wisconsin grandparents visitation is a complex issue. However, recent changes […]
Many questions arise from property division in Wisconsin divorce. Clients often wish to retain possession of certain items of personal property, from furniture to bank accounts to pets. Sometimes, people have an idea that property should be divided in a certain way, because “he cheated on me,” or because “she was the one who wanted the […]
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