Wisconsin is one of the states that allow for no-fault divorces. This simply means that you don’t have to engage in an ugly legal spat to divorce your spouse. If your marriage is “irretrievably broken” and there is no hope of reconciliation in the future, you can initiate the proceedings, for which your spouse’s consent is not mandatory. Appleton divorce lawyers can help you understand the legal process, and for your help, we have shared a few pointers below.
Uncontested Divorce vs. Contested Divorce
If you and your spouse agree on all key issues – assets, debts, child custody, maintenance, and child support, you can file for an uncontested divorce. Both parties have to file a stipulated agreement, which could be approved or altered by the judge as required. What if you cannot locate your spouse or they refuse to respond? You can still get a default divorce.
In a contested divorce, one party files for divorce. Let’s say you filed for divorce, and your spouse doesn’t agree on child custody arrangement or how assets the distributed; it would typically be a contested divorce.
There’s also collaborative divorce
While disagreements are not uncommon in a divorce, couples often want to reduce their hassles and opt for a collaborative divorce. As the same suggests, in such a divorce, couples decide to collaborate and work on resolving issues to come up with a Marital Settlement Agreement.
Time to get divorced in Appleton
In Wisconsin, couples filing for divorce must wait for at least 120 days to get a divorce. That’s the minimum you need to finalize the process. However, in the real world, divorces often take longer. Some county judges have a higher burden of divorce and family law matters, which can cause delays. In your best interests, you should consider working with an attorney to resolve key issues with your spouse so that you can get a divorce sooner.
Get an attorney
You can choose to represent your interests (pro se) in the divorce, but hiring an attorney is probably the smartest decision you can make. Experienced divorce attorneys can help mediate and help come up with solutions that are acceptable to both sides. Even if you are not talking to your spouse directly, it’s wise to have an attorney to have room for discussion. Lawyers can also represent you in court if needed.
Call an attorney today to find out more about state laws.
