When you’re involved in a custody battle, one of the most important things you can do is understand how a judge thinks. It could very well be the factor that determines whether you win or lose your case. Many people walk into court assuming all they need to do is tell their side of the…

Because INCARCERATION IS NOT VOLUNTARY UNEMPLOYMENT, what happens to child support when payors are sent to jail? 

Wisconsin has recently made changes to the child support guidelines that includes added language to the administrative code, DCF 150, the code that covers child support, regarding this specific situation.

What do these changes mean?

• It means that

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Legal custody disputes related to transgender children present special issues in family court. To help understand these types of disputes, it is important to know terminology, such as:

• Gender identity

• Gender expression 

• Transgender 

• Nonbinary

• Gender dysphoria

• Transition 

It is also important be aware of the people who could be relevant in legal custody disputes involving…

Wisconsin child support guidelines use the term “Serial-Family Parent.” A “Serial-family parent” means a parent with an existing legal obligation for child support who incurs an additional legal obligation for child support in a subsequent family because of a court order.

Who is a serial-family parent?

• If you have a child with one parent, and

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In Wisconsin, your child has the right to deny you placement or visitation with your grandchild absent a court order requiring visitation or placement. You, as the grandparent, have the right to petition the state courts for relief. When determining whether placement or visitation is appropriate, a court will look at whether the grandparent will…

Child support is generally ordered pursuant to the guidelines provided for in the governing statutes. Courts may deviate from these guidelines if it finds that the guidelines amount would be unfair. The court makes the fairness determination after evaluating the fifteen fairness factors. It is important for litigants to be prepared ahead of any request…

The Wisconsin Administrative Code pertaining to child support guidelines was updated effective January 1, 2024. The code chapter, specifically Department of Child and Families Chapter 150 (DCF 150), was updated to clarify when and how equivalent care should be applied when calculating child support. Child support is the obligation to support a child financially. Support…