Stillings & Buchinger, LLC

CHILD CUSTODY

LEGAL CUSTODY - PHYSICAL PLACEMENT - VISITATION 

For divorcing or separating couples, there are several issues that have to be resolved if children are involved.

Legal custody

Legal custody refers to the right of a parent to make child decisions regarding medical care, education, religion and other issues. Unless there is good reason to deny one parent these rights, Wisconsin law presumes that custody will be jointly granted to both parents.

The types of "good reasons" that a court will consider depend on many factors, but usually involve abuse, untreated addictions, drugs, or child neglect.

Physical Placement

Physical placement refers to the allocation of placement time between parents.

Child Visitation

Child visitation refers to the time that a child spends with a nonparent such as a grandparent, stepparent or significant other. People who may be awarded visitation are those who have had close connections and ties with the child, perhaps acted as a parent, or are related in some manner such as a grandparent.

Custody orders

When divorcing spouses with children conclude their divorce proceedings, a Wisconsin Circuit Court will enter a final judgment of divorce (a divorce decree) which will include the court's orders for the legal custody and physical placement and visitation of the spouses' child or children. Later modifications to orders can be obtained in appropriate circumstances. 

Wisconsin divorce & family law attorneys

Wisconsin divorce and family law lawyers, Attorney Gordon Stillings and Attorney Melody Buchinger represent parents in custody matters. For a free initial consultation, please contact the law offices of Stillings & Buchinger.