Divorce

Divorce marks the end of one part of your life and the beginning of another. To that end, a successful divorce decree will address both of these parts adequately. At Gatzke and McFadden Law Offices,  we strive to find solutions that protect your rights now and provide you with a  positive outlook on the future. We are reasonable in reaching settlements but do not hesitate to advance toward trial if it is in your best interest.

We understand that divorce is a sensitive issue and that you need an attorney who understands your point-of-view. We are confident that you will find a lawyer you are comfortable working with and who fits your needs. Are you interested in speaking with an attorney who can protect your rights during a divorce or legal separation and help you find solutions for a new beginning?

The dissolution of marriage can be accomplished in a variety of ways. This includes using negotiation, mediation or litigation to meet your needs. Our firm is consistently conscious of the cost to you and promotes an efficient resolution of divorce issues.

Finding solutions to your pressing concerns Whenever possible, we will encourage you to resolve issues with the other party. We do not take advantage of our clients’ emotions to benefit our firm’s finances. We use this approach as we work toward  divorce settlements that address issues such as the following:

Division of Property – Wisconsin is a marital property state. This means each spouse has a 50 percent interest in all community property. It is important to find an attorney who can represent your rights and clearly identify your marital contributions.

Child Custody – In Wisconsin, the courts generally tend to favor joint custody. For example, the children may be physically placed in one home the majority of the time, or physical custody may be shared with alternating weekends, holidays and summers. Legal custody indicates decision-making and is generally evenly distributed between parents.

Child Support – Child support payments are based on statutory guidelines that consider amounts such as parents’ gross monthly income, the needs of the children and time spent with the children.

Spousal Maintenance – This depends upon many factors, including the length of the marriage, the earning capacity of the dependent spouse and child support payments.

Family Law

Our firm’s family law practice is committed to helping individuals and families resolve a variety of family issues. These issues include divorce, which many people associate as the primary family law topic, as well as ancillary issues such as guardian ad litem, child advocacy and post-judgment issues. At Gatzke and McFadden Law Offices, we provide personalized services to meet your family law needs.

Many family law issues, such as those involving child custody or child support, do not end when the divorce is final. Our firm provides experienced legal assistance in virtually all family law matters, including those that need attention even years after the final divorce decree.

At Gatzke & McFadden Law Offices, we pride ourselves in being a full-service law firm. We are able to meet the legal needs of our clients on a variety of levels. For instance, a criminal matter involving a  juvenile could also be a family law issue. Our firm strives to provide clients with comprehensive legal help throughout virtually every area of family law:

Guardian ad Litem – A guardian ad litem (GAL) is court-appointed. As guardian ad litems, our attorneys are advocates for the child. GALs may be appointed in criminal actions involving juveniles, in child custody disputes and in other familial situations.

Post-Judgment Issues – Our firm provides experienced legal help to proponents and contestants of modifications and enforcements of divorce decrees. These issues generally involve child support, child custody, proposed changes to the divorce decree and contempt orders.

Prenuptial Agreements – We will help lessen the stress of planning a wedding by offering you sound legal advice regarding prenuptial agreement formation.