What is Legal Separation? A Legal Separation is different than simply living apart. Physically separating is not the same as legally separating. If you physically separate without taking any further legal action, you remain legally married—and will continue to enjoy (or suffer) all the rights and responsibilities that come with it. Legal Separation creates a…
Pre Divorce
Articles categorized by what phase of divorce you're currently experiencing:
Articles categorized by topic and areas of your life most affected by a divorce:
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Choosing the Right Milwaukee Divorce Lawyer for Mediation
Mediation vs. Litigation: Choosing the Right Path with a Milwaukee Divorce Lawyer Divorce doesn’t have to mean a loss of control over your future. The decision to opt for mediation or litigation can significantly impact your divorce process and outcome. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of mediation over litigation and how partnering with…
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The Importance of Hiring a Family Law Attorney in Milwaukee
People often ask, “Do I even need to hire a Milwaukee divorce lawyer?” The short answer is, “no.” However, you also don’t need to hire an obstetrician to deliver your baby. Nature will take its course with or without the doctor there. But sometimes it is nice to have someone who can intervene when there…
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Vaccination Disputes in Child Custody Matters
When Parents Disagree on the COVID-19 Vaccination The Food and Drug Administration just announced that children 12 to 15 years old are now eligible to receive the Pfizer Covid vaccine. Children as young as 6 months old may soon be able to receive the vaccine after ongoing clinical trials are complete. But what happens when…
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When can we legally sell or refinance the house in a divorce?
The Answer Depends on Your Goals (and Your Relationship with your Spouse). Whether or not you sell or refinance your house will depend on several considerations: Does one of you want to keep living in the house? Can that person afford the house on his or her own? How good is your credit? Can you…
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Is it illegal to change locks during a divorce?
No. It is not illegal to change the locks . . . however, it can get complicated. Changing Locks During Separation or Divorce Legal Separation and Divorce are virtually the same in Wisconsin. They both legally end a marriage and the legal process is nearly identical for both. Therefore, this article applies equally to legal…
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Emancipation in Wisconsin
What does an emancipation of a child mean? “Emancipation” refers to a child becoming a legal adult. How to Get Emancipated In Wisconsin there is no legal process for emancipation. Children cannot “divorce” their parents and declare themselves independent via a court process. At what legal age can a child emancipate themselves from their household?…
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What Happens With Stimulus Payments in a Divorce?
Are you and your spouse living apart? Are you wondering where your stimulus check will land? What happens if your spouse takes your check? And do parents have to share stimulus money received for the children? Why did we each get stimulus checks for the same child? Learn the answers to these questions and more!…
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What Happens To An Adopted Child During (and After) A Divorce?
Did you and your spouse adopt a child? Did you adopt your stepchild and make him your own? Are you worried that adopted children may be treated differently in a divorce? Parents of adopted children need not fear! Read on for reassurance about how your relationship with an adopted child continues after a divorce. Modern…
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Child Custody vs. Child Placement: What is the Difference?
Custody and Placement are two family law concepts that are often confused or used interchangeably. However, they are very different and are, in some ways, not even related! In Wisconsin, child custody refers to the right of a parent to make major decisions for the child. Major decisions include such things as consent to marry,…
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Why Should I Hire a Lawyer to Handle My Divorce?
. . . For all the same reasons you should hire a surgeon to perform your surgery. In some ways, hiring a lawyer versus representing yourself is like the difference between plastic surgery with a scalpel and plastic surgery with a chain saw. A skilled divorce lawyer can help divide your marital estate and time…
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How Long Does It Take to Get a Divorce?
A Minimum of Four to Six months (or More). It takes a long time to get divorced in Wisconsin. In fact, it takes longer in Wisconsin than in almost any other state. This is because Wisconsin has a mandatory 120-day “cooling off” period between the time a divorce is filed and the time it can…
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Do I Need a Prenuptial Agreement?
Before you and your fiancé say your “I do’s”, it may be in your best interests to consider signing a prenuptial agreement. While no one likes to think about the possibility of divorce, especially before you’ve even wed, the truth is that forever is a long time, and there is no guarantee or requirement that…
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What Is A Contested Divorce?
Contested Divorce: When Couples Can’t Agree Couples often get divorced when they can agree only one on thing: that they don’t want to be married anymore. However, there are many decisions that go into the dissolution of a marriage. A contested divorce is a divorce in which the court makes these difficult decisions for you…
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COVID-19 Pandemic & Divorce: What You Need To Know
We’ve Temporarily Taken Our Practice Digital Thanks to technology, our attorneys can still offer the same award-winning service to their Milwaukee-area clients despite the current pandemic. Fill out the form below to set up a 100% confidential, no-pressure online divorce consultation. Prefer to call? (414) 453-0800 During this time, our staff and attorneys continue to…
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Child Custody Calculator in Wisconsin
CALCULATING CHILD CUSTODY IN WISCONSIN Is there a way to calculate who gets custody of minor children when going through a divorce in Wisconsin? There are basically two forms of placement of minor children in Wisconsin when going through a divorce; a. Primary Placement. This traditional placement arrangement puts the children primarily in one parent’s home…
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How to prove a parent is “unfit.”
Almost every other phone call or on line inquiry we receive, concerns a post judgment custody issue where someone wants to prove or allege the other parent is “unfit.” The idea is they want to obtain primary placement of the children, and in many cases, also involves pre-judgment matters. How do you go about proving…
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When do “variable costs” apply in Wisconsin?
What are “variable costs?” Wisconsin DCF 150 (29) defines “variable costs” as the reasonable costs above basic support costs incurred by or on behalf of a child, including but not limited to the cost of child care, tuition, a child’s special needs, and other activities that involve substantial cost. 2. When do “variable costs”…
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Wisconsin Adultery Laws
Learning that your spouse has been unfaithful to you can be a painful shock. That can be especially true if you have children or if you’ve been married for an extended time. As such, you might seek out help determining what to do about their infidelity. You’ll need to understand Wisconsin adultery laws, first, so…
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Finding the right divorce lawyer
I have written previous blogs about how one goes about to find a divorce lawyer. Today’s topic is about finding the right lawyer for you in a family law case. You need to have a mindset from day one, about what type of a lawyer you are looking for. Are you looking for a lawyer…
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