Washington County Wisconsin Divorce Lawyers
We fight for clients who are dissatisfied with divorce judgments
By definition, all but uncontested divorce cases are adversarial. With a lot at stake in an emotionally volatile setting, parties are sometimes displeased with the final divorce judgment. As a result, clients may want to challenge the orders pertaining to the division of property, child custody, and child support or spousal maintenance. The Milwaukee divorce lawyers at Bandle & Zaeske, LLP have the skill and experience necessary to identify the circumstances in which a judgment can and should be disputed.
What recourse do I have if I am not happy with the final judgment in my Wisconsin divorce?
First and most importantly, discuss the matter with your attorney as soon as possible. Based on that conversation, his or her experience and information gleaned from legal research, your lawyer will determine whether there is sufficient cause to dispute the judgment. If he or she finds that there is, there are two options. One is to file paperwork asking the court to reassess its decision. The other is to file paperwork with a higher court – the Wisconsin Court of Appeals – within a period specified by law. That effectively begins the process in which that court revieWI the trial court’s findings and issues a recommendation.
Some orders can be changed after your divorce is finalized… but some cannot be modified
In order to limit the potential for endless legal free-for-alls in overburdened courts, Wisconsin restricts the types of orders that can be changed after a divorce is finalized. These include the orders pertaining to spousal maintenance, child support and child custody and placement.
In each of these circumstances, your attorney must notify the court that he or she is seeking a modification to the existing order. At the ensuing hearing, the judge will consider the evidence submitted and testimony provided to support the request. This must usually include proof that your circumstances have changed dramatically since the trial court issued the initial order. If the judge finds there is sufficient proof, a new order will be issued.
The only orders that cannot be changed after your divorce is finalized are those pertaining to the division of property. However, there is one special circumstance in which courts may make an exception. These are cases in which one spouse, or their attorney, discovers that the other spouse has withheld information pertaining to one or more assets, and the asset or assets were excluded from the original judgment. In other words, if one spouse failed to include details about real estate, investments, or other finances, the judge could reopen the judgment to reflect the distribution of said assets.
If you aren’t happy with your divorce judgment or if circumstances have substantially changed, you can’t afford to wait – contact our Milwaukee divorce lawyers today
Time is of the essence when you are dissatisfied with your divorce judgment or related order, so it is important that you speak with one of the skilled Milwaukee divorce attorneys at Bandle & Zaeske, LLP as soon as possible. Our office is conveniently located at 10850 W. Park Place in Milwaukee. Contact us online to schedule a free consultation, or call us with any questions you may have at (414) 359-1424. We represent clients in Milwaukee, Washington, Racine, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Ozaukee and Waukesha counties.