Types of Milwaukee Family Law Matters Our Lawyers Handle
Our dedicated Milwaukee family law attorneys at Karp & Iancu, S.C. assist clients with many different kinds of family law cases. Family law is a relatively broad area of the law that includes a wide variety of issues that can affect married couples, partners with children, and extended family members. Our firm offers a range of family law services, including but not limited to the following:
- Divorce;
- Legal separation;
- Annulment;
- Alimony or spousal maintenance;
- Family mediation;
- Child custody;
- Child support;
- Child relocation;
- Establishing paternity;
- Prenuptial agreements;
- Domestic violence and restraining orders; and
- Appeals.
Divorce in Milwaukee
Our firm handles a wide range of legal issues that arise in Milwaukee divorce cases, and we also assist clients with divorce alternatives under Wisconsin law, such as legal separation and annulment. Some of the kinds of divorce matters we can help with include, for example:
- Finding out if you are eligible to file for divorce;
- Meeting the no-fault divorce requirements;
- Uncontested divorce and joint filings;
- Complex divorce issues for military families or business owners;
- Division of community property, including exceptions to equal distribution;
- Seeking alimony or maintenance, or modifying an existing alimony or maintenance order;
- Legal issues involving minor children from the marriage, including child custody, physical placement, and child support;
- Domestic violence in a divorce case;
- Enforcing a prenuptial agreement; and
- Mediation in a divorce.
There are many other types of divorce issues that our firm can assist you with, and we can provide more information when you get in touch with us to discuss your case.
Child Custody and Physical Placement in Milwaukee
Child custody cases in Wisconsin are often complex, and it is important to have a family lawyer on your side throughout your case. Courts must determine child custody in divorces with minor children from the marriage, as well as in family situations where unmarried parents are separating, and often in legal separation proceedings. Child custody includes sole or joint legal custody, as well as physical placement.
Wisconsin courts consider a variety of statutory factors in custody and physical placement determinations focused on the child’s best interest, such as:
- Wishes of the parents;
- Wishes of the child;
- Cooperation and communication between the parties;
- Child’s adjustment to the present home and community;
- Alcohol or drug abuse involving a parent or a party in a dating relationship with a parent or in one of the parent’s households;
- Mental and physical health of the parties; and
- Evidence of domestic abuse.
These are just some of the factors discussed under Wisconsin law as considerations for the court. Additional factors are cited, and the statute also clarifies that the court can use any factor it determines to be relevant when making a child custody and physical placement determination. To learn more about child custody or placement, contact your Milwaukee family law attorneys at Karp & Iancu, S.C. today.
Milwaukee Paternity Cases
Family law includes paternity cases and parentage determinations. There are many different reasons that a party might seek to establish paternity. In many cases, a man who believes he is the child’s biological father might seek to establish paternity in order to have parental rights. A mother might want to establish paternity in order to seek child support. The child might also want to establish paternity for a variety of reasons, such as to have medical and genetic information, or to establish a relationship with a parent.
Prenuptial Agreements
Wisconsin law allows parties who are planning to get married to enter into a prenuptial agreement, which is also known as a premarital agreement or a marital property agreement. Through these types of agreements, parties can determine what property will be divided in the event of a divorce, as well as other financial issues related to the marriage or its dissolution.
Milwaukee Family Mediation
Family mediation can allow parties to resolve disputes without needing to involve a judge. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in which the parties work with a neutral third party known as a mediator who helps to facilitate communication between the parties. It is important to know that a mediator is not a judge and does not hear the sides of the case. Instead, the mediator assists the parties in engaging in dialogue so that they can resolve their dispute or disputes. Mediation can help with divorce issues like property division, as well as child custody matters and other legal issues involving the family. Mediation is beneficial for many reasons, such as:
- Privacy, since the mediation remains confidential;
- Saves time since the parties do not have to wait for a court hearing;
- Cost-efficient since the parties do not have to deal with litigation costs;
- Helpful for learning to communicate, especially for parents who will be co-parenting; and
- Only binding if the parties agree.
Our family law attorneys in Milwaukee can provide you with more information.