“I think I want a divorce. Now what?”
A lot of people call our office and tell us that they’ve been thinking about divorce, but they’re not sure what to do next. If that sounds like you, we can help.
Your Options When You Want a Divorce
For most people, the best thing to do once they decide they may want to divorce is to talk to an attorney and find out about their options. When you call a lawyer, he or she will walk you through the process and explain how it works – and ask you questions about your goals for the divorce, too. Your attorney will discuss possible outcomes when it comes to things like child custody, spousal support, and child support.
What About Contested and Uncontested Divorce?
Wisconsin is a no-fault divorce state, which means you don’t have to prove that your spouse did something wrong in order to get divorced.
However, there are two main types of divorce: Contested and uncontested.
In a contested divorce, it means you and your spouse can’t agree on all the major issues. When that happens, the judge will end up having to make decisions for you. In an uncontested divorce, you’ve reached agreements on things like custody and property division, and the judge only has to make sure that what you’ve agreed upon is fair to both of you and to your children.
Your lawyer will most likely try to get you to cooperate with your spouse as best you can. You’ll end up saving time and money if you can reach agreements on your own – otherwise, you’ll have to wait to get on the judge’s schedule while you’re paying your attorney to argue in court. For some couples, mediation is the best solution; in mediation, you and your ex work with a trained mediator who helps you find common ground that you can both live with.
Do You Think You Want a Divorce?
If you’re thinking about divorce, call us at 414-383-6700 for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to talk about your options and discuss possible outcomes. We’re always here to answer your questions, so call us today.
