How does Wisconsin law define “legal custody”? If you have legal custody of your child in Wisconsin, this means you have the authority to make major decisions on their behalf. According to Wisconsin law, major decisions include “decisions regarding consent to marry, consent to enter military service, consent to obtain a motor vehicle operator’s license, […]
If a child is born out of wedlock, according to Wisconsin law, who has legal custody of the child? If the parents are not married, then the mother is granted sole custody. Even if the father’s name is on the birth certificate, a court order still must be obtained in order to establish him as […]
If you face interstate custody issues, contact Kowalski, Wilson & Vang, LLC. We have noticed an increase in custody disputes between parents that reside in different states. This is most likely due to the fact that families are more mobile, and that parents are often moving for employment. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement […]
In the United States, more than 15 million children live in a home in which domestic violence has occurred.* If you are a parent and a domestic violence survivor who is considering a divorce, legal separation or paternity action, protecting a child from the effects of domestic violence in the home can be a significant […]
This blog entry will provide a more in-depth discussion about the ways domestic violence can impact legal custody determinations, in Wisconsin. When domestic violence is part of a relationship, making decisions together as parents can be impossible, and it stands to reason that a parent who has abused the other should not make major decisions […]
If you are in the midst of a divorce or legal separation in Wisconsin, you already know that emotions can run high and that the process can be quite stressful, for parents and for children. After the divorce or separation is final, there is typically a cooling-off period, during which the family settles into the […]
In the state of Wisconsin, when parents cannot reach an agreement on custody and placement of their child, the court will appoint a Guardian ad Litem to the case. The Guardian ad Litem, or GAL, is a family law attorney appointed to represent the best interests of the child. The role of the GAL is […]
If you are involved in a Wisconsin divorce, paternity action, or a dispute about legal custody, physical placement and support of a minor child, you have probably heard about the discovery process. A party to a Wisconsin family action, such as a divorce, may choose to undertake formal discovery, to find out more information about […]
Misconceptions exist, as to what legal custody of a child is and means. Many times, in a divorce or paternity proceeding, a parent will come into the divorce or paternity process asking for “full custody.” There is no such term, under Wisconsin law. Also surprising to parents at the outset of a divorce or paternity […]
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 […]
© Copyright 2026 Kowalski Wilson & Vang, LLC - All Rights Reserved
(608) 709-5000