Wisconsin Law Journal – WI Legal News & Resources Wisconsin Legal News & Resources

Nothing in our legal system is more important than judges. Cases proceed (or don’t proceed) and resolve largely on the basis of the individual proclivities of the person wearing the robe. A good judge can make a complex, difficult case ...

Some things sound better on paper than they turn out to be in real life.

Last month, I took a look at the Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions in family law in the past year.

Typically, I end a year of columns with a review of the previous year.

Several months ago, my friend, Dr. Ken Waldron, a (semi) retired psychologist from Madison, and I were discussing the importance to children of their divorcing parents peacefully settling their disputes when Ken noted the lack of empirical data on settlement negotiations.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court now has an opportunity to clarify an area of family law which very much needs clarifying.

One of the most common questions clients ask me is: “When do the children get to make the decision as to placement?”

Tagged with: Family Law

On June 16, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin issued its opinion in Miller v. Carroll, 2020 WI 56, a case involving a judge’s decision to accept a Facebook friend request from a mother in a custody and placement dispute.

Tagged with: Family Law

My mother used to say that it takes a very ill wind to blow no good.

Tagged with: Family Law

In the movie “A Marriage Story,” a female lawyer (played by Laura Dern, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) is incredibly compassionate toward her client, saying she will move forward with the divorce, “as gently as possible.”

It has been eight years since the Wisconsin Supreme Court accepted a review of a family-law case, other than regarding grandparent visitation.

Although I’m normally not one to bemoan the “good old days” gone by, there are instances in which I do. And given the unprecedented and unusual circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak as it affects the legal system, one such instance comes to mind.

Tagged with: divorce Family Law

Recently, a default divorce hearing fell through because the judge in the case had the temerity to ask a party whether she thought the proposed settlement was fair.

Tagged with: divorce Family Law

Although I consider myself a movie buff, I typically dislike movies about lawyers and the legal system. For example, although Paul Newman (a great actor) was nominated for the Academy Award for playing a lawyer in “The Verdict”, I found the movie irritating (at best). Apparently, the rules against ex parte contact with the court were unknown to the script writers.

After a year of writing this column for the Wisconsin Law Journal, it is time to take a look back at the main issues for the year. This affords me the opportunity of taking another kick at such cats as seem to warrant another kick.

On Jan. 13, 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the question of who can be friends with a judge – at least in the cyber world. The implications of the case may affect the use of ESM (Electronic Social Media) by judges and bring into play the adage “bad facts make bad law”.

Tagged with: Family Law Gregg Herman

The greatest change in the practice of family law in recent years has been the incredibly higher rate of resolution versus settlement.

Tagged with: Family Law Gregg Herman

Among the changes in the practice of family law over the years (and there have been many) none have been as significant as the transition of the practice from litigation focused to settlement focused.

Tagged with: Family Law Gregg Herman

The Wisconsin Supreme Court does not accept many family-law cases (the last one, other than one regarding grandparent visitation, was McReath v. McReath, 2011 WI 66, 335 Wis.2d.643, 789 N.W. 89 eight years ago).

It is rare enough that the Wisconsin Supreme Court decides a family-law case (the last one of any significance was McReath eight years ago) and even more rare when the case involves issues of constitutional law. The court’s recent decision in Michels v. Kelsey, 2019 WI 57 also involves issues of the nature of family in our society and the effect of the legal system on families.

When it comes to employment choices, having a support obligation means that the good ol' USA is no longer a free country.

Tagged with: Employment Family Law Gregg Herman jobs

It’s not that the previous law on relocation was perfect, but the new version, while improving on certain aspects, violates what should be a principal tenet for legislation: Don’t adopt laws, at least parts of which, everyone is just going to ignore.

Tagged with: Family Law Gregg Herman

With a new legislative session underway, once again there are efforts to require Wisconsin family courts to order equal physical placement in every – or virtually every – case.

Tagged with: domestic abuse Family Law Gregg Herman

An interesting article recently appeared in the Wisconsin Lawyer concerning domestic abuse and child custody: Meuer, Gibart & Roach, “Domestic Abuse: Little Impact on Child Custody and Placement”, Wisconsin Lawyer, Vol. 91, No. 11 (December, 2018).

Tagged with: domestic abuse Family Law Gregg Herman

On Nov. 7, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a grandparent-visitation case, Michels v. Lyons, 2017AP1142. This case affords the Supreme Court an opportunity to affect the law in an important and highly emotional area. In the ...

With same-sex marriage now legal in 36 states -- and probably legal in all 50 after the U.S. Supreme Court rules next summer -- same-sex divorces will follow in due course.

Tagged with: divorce Family Law gay marriage Gregg Herman U.S. Supreme Court

It is common, where there are minor children, for a divorce agreement to require at least the payor of child support and sometimes both parties to maintain life insurance with the children as beneficiaries.

Tagged with: child support Family Law Life insurance

If you tell the child’s other parent where you intend to move the child, permission to remove is specific to that location. The removing parent doesn’t have carte blanche to move wherever he or she chooses.

Tagged with: divorce Family Law Gregg Herman

Gray areas are seldom helpful in family law, as divorced parties benefit by definition.

Tagged with: Family Law Gregg Herman Loeb & Herman Patricia Curley retirement

In a recent opinion the District 4 Court of Appeals misapplied Wisconsin statutes regarding the meaning of joint custody.

Tagged with: District 4 Court of Appeals Family Law Gregg Herman Jon Counsell