These days, many more children are born to parents who are not married, sometimes leaving the paternity of the child in question. In Wisconsin, establishing paternity (legal fatherhood) of a child is determined in three ways: Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgement, a court hearing, or Acknowledgement of a Marital Child. Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgement For parents who are […]
Dividing Marital Debt in a Wisconsin Divorce
Marital property division in a Wisconsin divorce includes not only the division of assets but also division of marital debt. It is important to understand that regardless of who is ordered to pay marital debt, your contract with the creditor does not change. If your name is on a credit card or loan, you remain […]
Domestic Violence Uptick During COVID-19 Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique challenge facing many families. One disturbing trend that is arising is the increase in Domestic Violence complaints. With Wisconsin starting a Safer at Home policy many municipalities have started to see an uptick in domestic violence complaints during Covid-19 crises. Self-Isolation policies recommended to halt the viral outbreak has […]
Healthcare and Emergency Workers Facing Child Visitation Issues During Covid-19
Health care workers and emergency response employees such as nurses, doctors, firefighters, law enforcement and paramedics, etc., continue to show up for work despite the risks of exposure to Covid-19. Consequently, there are a growing number of parents across the country who have begun to deny child visitation to their former spouses providing these crucial […]
Seven Guidelines for Parents Sharing Custody During the Covid-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging time for parents and families. Parents are dealing with changing work dynamics, concerns about the health and safety of family members, and children stuck at home. For many children, this strange moment in time will leave vivid memories. They are attending school remotely, aren’t participating in their normal activities, […]
Enforcing Custody and Placement Orders During Coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging time for parents and families. Wisconsin recently started a Safer at Home policy that has changed routines and schedules. Children are no longer attending school or extracurricular activities, and many parents are now working from home. Unfortunately, some parents are using the uncertainty and safety concerns posed by COVID-19 […]
Do grandparents have legal rights in Wisconsin?
By Attorney Kellen O’Brien Grandparents are an important part of a child’s life. They not only provide love and affection, but grandparents and other relatives also provide child care and financial support, and they develop deep emotional bonds. Grandparents often form a parental bond with their grandchildren because they are asked to assist their adult […]
Temporary Orders for Child Custody
When parents’ divorce, the child’s best interests are first and foremost, which may or may not include shared legal custody as the divorce proceeds. Because children of divorce must have someone to make decisions on their behalf during the process, one parent may agree to give up legal custody in the short term to keep […]
Domestic Violence Child Removal Actions
There are hundreds of cases across the country involving the removal of children from a parent who has suffered domestic abuse at the hands of their spouse or partner. Sometimes labeled as unfit parents, victims of domestic violence are blamed for failing to protect or for neglecting a child who may have witnessed the abuse. […]
Child Custody in Domestic Violence Situations
Domestic violence is pervasive and often is perpetrated by an abuser who is intent on control using threats of violence and physical and emotional abuse to intimidate a victim. An abuser may also target children in the home in order to control a spouse who may just try to go-along-get- along to keep the attention […]