Online Divorce in Wisconsin: Documents Preparation
Our online divorce service offers help with paperwork preparation for a more convenient online divorce in Wisconsin. After you complete a comprehensive questionnaire on our platform, the smart system will select and fill out the forms suitable for your specific case and provide you with the necessary divorce documents online. In addition to the full package of papers, our customers also get instructions on how to apply for divorce and undergo the entire process of Wisconsin online divorce step by step.
Grounds for Divorce in Wisconsin
Legal grounds for divorce in Wisconsin are outlined in the statutes, namely, in Wis. Stat. § 767.315. According to it, the only grounds for divorce in WI are irretrievable breakdown and breakdown of marital relationship, which makes it a no-fault divorce state.
Since the court does not officially accept any fault-based grounds for divorce in Wisconsin, the plaintiff should not indicate and prove the other party’s marital misconduct, even if that is the case. Instead, spouses can simply state irretrievable marriage breakdown as the reason for its termination, and the judge will grant them divorce.
If only one spouse claims that the marriage is irretrievably broken while the other one does not agree, it can still be terminated under the condition of voluntary separate living for no less than 12 months before filing the petition. If, in such circumstances, the couple did not live separately for at least a year and the court sees any chance for reconciliation, it may suggest counseling and prolong the process by 30-60 days.
Divorce Papers in Wisconsin: What Forms Do You Need to File?
The list of papers for a traditional or online divorce in Wisconsin depends on your individual situation and the accompanying factors, including:
- Presence or absence of minor children;
- Individual or joint filing;
- Parties’ agreement on the matters related to children, property, and alimony;
- Necessity of a hearing;
- Parties’ ability to pay the legal filing fees.
The first question many people ask is, “Can I get divorce papers online?” Yes, it’s not a problem to obtain divorce forms in Wisconsin online. However, you must ensure the reliability of the resources you use.
But how to get divorce papers in Wisconsin online? You may go searching for Wisconsin divorce papers online at official governmental websites. Still, not all of them update their publications timely, so it’s possible to download outdated online divorce paperwork.
One of the reliable ways to obtain divorce papers online in WI is by using paperwork preparation services like ours. We offer easy divorce papers already completed for your specific case and guarantee that the forms we provide are court-approved.
Still, before looking for divorce papers in WI online, consider the details listed above since they will determine which ones you will require for your online divorce application.
Here’s the list of the most common papers for divorce you may need:
• Petition with Minor Children/Petition without Minor Children
is the document a petitioner should file to start the action, asking the court to terminate their marriage, stating the grounds, and specifying any requests. When you are looking for divorce papers in Wisconsin online filing together with your spouse, make sure you get a Joint Petition with Minor Children/Joint Petition without Minor Children.
• Marital Settlement with Minor Children/Marital Settlement without Minor Children
is used in uncontested cases to outline the terms and conditions of the divorce agreed upon by the parties.
• Summons with Minor Children/Summons without Minor Children
are used to notify the defendant about the case initiation.
is the form the respondent files to reply to a Petition.
• Confidential Petition Addendum
presents confidential information about the parties to the case and their children, if any.
may be needed if minor children are involved to offer the terms of child custody for the court’s consideration.
If you want a quick Wisconsin online divorce and plan to get divorce forms in Wisconsin online, take advantage of our service. Based on your answers to our simple online questionnaire, we will complete the papers needed for your specific case, and you’ll get relatively cheap divorce papers online, along with instructions on how to get a divorce in Wisconsin.
Compare Your Options for Filing for Divorce in Colorado
Divorce with a Lawyer
The most common option of hiring a lawyer secures your rights during litigations. However, it also bears a number of risks and inconveniences:
- Dependence on the attorney’s schedule;
- High lawyer’s hourly fees;
- Prolonged negotiations on unresolved disputes;
- Possibility of new disputes emerging in the process;
- Stressful courtroom environment.
DIY Divorce
While DIY divorce in Wisconsin is the cheapest way to file for divorce, it is not always similarly effective. You should be ready for certain challenges:
- Risk of getting outdated or wrong forms;
- Mistakes in filling out the papers that will lead to the court’s refusal to accept them and the need to start anew;
- Possibility of not getting the expected outcomes;
- Additional costs caused by mistakes and misunderstandings.
Paperwork Preparation Service
Online paperwork preparation is the convenient way to get papers for an offline or, alternatively, online divorce, which is often the best way to file for divorce since it is the cheapest, simplest, and fastest option. With us, you get:
- Convenient platform accessible from any place and any gadget;
- 100% court-approved divorce forms in Wisconsin online;
- Step-by-step instructions on how to file for divorce online;
- Moderate price for the full package of documents;
- Customer support available all around the clock.
How to Fill out Wisconsin Divorce Papers?
When filing for divorce in Wisconsin online, you must fill out the papers accurately and attentively to avoid the necessity of starting the entire procedure of your online divorce in Wisconsin afresh.
Here are some useful tips on how to fill out divorce papers yourself:
- The first step in filing for divorce is determining and obtaining the right papers. Whether you download divorce forms in Wisconsin online or purchase them at a governmental agency, you must ensure they are updated and suit your location. Besides, they should fit your situation and circumstances.
- Read the questions attentively and answer them accurately. Even a single mistake or erroneously checked box can lead to unexpected court orders on child-related matters or property. Moreover, the clerk may refuse to accept forms with crossings, corrections, or smudges.
- Be exact and straightforward in your court requests. Use plain and clear language, avoiding outdated or sophisticated terminology you think would be suitable.
- When getting a divorce, spouses should exchange financial disclosures and share them with the court. Ensure you present truthful information about your assets, income, debts, and expenses. The slightest suspicion of concealed or distorted financial information may lead to serious legal repercussions.
Generally, the forms may contain instructions and tips to point you in the right direction. Follow them in the process of completing the paperwork to know for sure that you do everything right. On the other hand, you can delegate the task of filling out the forms to us and use the completed papers to get an offline or online divorce in Wisconsin. In addition to them, you will also get step-by-step instructions for easy divorce filing.
How to Get a Divorce in Wisconsin without a Lawyer?
Divorce in Wisconsin without a lawyer is quite possible if you and your spouse can agree on all the terms and conditions of your marriage dissolution, being eligible for a Wisconsin uncontested divorce. In such a case, you can even prepare a joint petition and file for divorce in Wisconsin online, minimizing your overall expenses.
To explain how to get divorced without an attorney, we have compiled a set of regulations that you should know when arranging your uncontested divorce in Wisconsin.
When deciding issues of legal custody and physical placement, the court is guided by the child’s best interests. So, when filing a joint petition, a couple should attach a Marital Settlement Agreement and a Proposed Parenting Plan to it. In these documents, spouses must outline the detailed terms of sole or joint custody, including where children will live, go to school, and spend their holidays, who will make decisions about health care, education, religion, etc., and other important issues (see Wis. Stat. § 767.41(1m)).
The standards of financial support for children are established in Wis. Stat. § 49.22(9). It is based on one or both parents’ gross income and assets and the amount of the child’s physical placement with each of them. However, these calculations are much more complicated and depend on a myriad of factors, including the parents’ and children’s financial resources and needs, the standard of living, child-related expenses, parents’ earning capacity, etc. (Wis. Stat. § 767.511(1m)).
In Wisconsin, property and assets acquired by either party as gifts or inheritances from third parties are not subject to division in divorce. Nevertheless, there may be exceptions under certain circumstances. The courts presume that marital property must be divided equally unless this 50/50 distribution is deemed unjustified and unfair. In making this decision, they consider a range of factors outlined in Wis. Stat. § 767.61.
Maintenance, also known as alimony, is the financial support paid to one of the spouses by another that can be awarded to either party. When determining its eligibility, amount, and duration, the court considers factors such as marriage duration, both parties’ age, physical and emotional health, educational level, earning capacity, etc. (see Wis. Stat. § 767.56).
If you want to divorce without an attorney and avoid the judge’s involvement, you will need to settle all these issues on your own and put them down in the Marital Settlement Agreement for the court’s approval.
So, if you wonder, “Can you file for divorce without a lawyer?”, such an option is available but most suitable for spouses who qualify for an uncontested divorce in Wisconsin.
Do-It-Yourself Divorce in Wisconsin
Do-it-yourself divorce in Wisconsin is a viable option if you file for divorce without a lawyer and have resolved all the disputed issues with your spouse. An uncontested case that leaves no disputes between you makes it possible to file for divorce in Wisconsin online.
So, if you aim at a Wisconsin online divorce but are not sure how to file your own divorce, consider the following information:
- If you wonder what to do before filing for divorce, ensure you meet Wisconsin residency requirements. One of the spouses must have lived in the state for the last 6 months at a minimum and in the county where they file for at least 30 days before commencing the action ( Stat. § 767.301).
- To define which papers you need, decide if you will file individually or jointly with your spouse and if you need a hearing.
- Gather and fill out the necessary forms. You can get divorce papers online or from any other reliable source.
- How to start filing for divorce? Submit the Joint Petition or Petition and Summons with the circuit court in your county and pay a filing fee. When filing divorce papers yourself, you can submit them to the clerk in person or online. How to file for divorce in Wisconsin online? You can do so via an official e-filing system. Just make sure that this option is available in your location.
- If you file individually, serving a respondent is among the next steps to file for divorce. Serve the papers to the other party within 90 days with the help of a law enforcement officer or a process server.
- The respondent has 20 days to file a written response and counterclaim, if any. Besides, you need to file the Proof of Service with the court.
- What happens after you file for divorce? After filing the Joint Petition or serving the papers to the respondent, you should wait at least 120 days before the court can start reviewing the case. A temporary hearing will be scheduled only if you request it.
- You will receive the Notice of Pre-Trial Conference with all its details and information on the Helping Children Cope with Divorce seminar, which you must complete if you have minor kids.
- In case of an uncontested divorce, you will get the final judgment that officially ends your marriage at the Pre-Trial Conference.
If DIY divorce in Wisconsin looks too complicated and you still have questions like, “How do I file for divorce online? What forms should I prepare? or How to file your own divorce papers?”, do not hesitate to look for divorce help online at our paperwork preparation service. After receiving your answers to the questionnaire, we will provide a full package of completed forms for your case and detailed instructions on how to file for divorce by yourself.
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FAQ
To get a divorce, you can hire a lawyer, opt for a do-it-yourself divorce in Wisconsin without third-party involvement, or order filled-out and ready-to-use Wisconsin divorce papers online and use them to file for divorce in Wisconsin online or offline on your own.
Wisconsin laws do not set any mandatory separation period before filing for divorce in case both parties agree to terminate their marriage. However, if only one spouse states irretrievable marriage breakdown, which is the only grounds for divorce in WI, while the other denies it, a couple should have lived separately for at least 12 months before starting the action.
The surest way to file for divorce without a lawyer is to agree with your spouse on all the disputed issues to qualify for an uncontested procedure. In this case, you can order divorce papers in Wisconsin online or get them at the court clerk’s office, fill them out yourself, and file for divorce in Wisconsin online or in person, avoiding extra expenses and prolonged litigations.
Wisconsin law does not forbid filing for divorce during pregnancy. However, this fact may prolong the process if the court decides to issue the final order only after the baby is born. Such a decision is especially possible in case you have unresolved disputes concerning custody and/or support or if paternity needs to be established.
To start the divorce process, one or both spouses should prepare a Petition or Joint Petition, respectively, and some other accompanying papers and submit them to the circuit court’s clerk in person or file for divorce in Wisconsin online.
