The decision to get divorced is often hard, and people can expect many inconveniences during the process. That is why spouses planning on filing for divorce often look for the fastest ways to do so.
Thankfully, the majority of states provide opportunities for a more straightforward legal procedure. Wisconsin is one such state! Partners hoping to get a divorce in a fast manner may find the information below quite helpful.
Some Facts About Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a pure “no-fault” state. It means that the divorce process can begin simply by one spouse stating the marriage cannot continue due to “irreconcilable differences.” Local judges do not consider evidence of any sort of fault often used as grounds for divorce in other states.
As an alternative, if partners have lived separately for at least one year, a petitioner might start the divorce process.
After reviewing all the information, the judge may suggest counseling to try and repair the marriage, but if that doesn’t work – the judge can grant a divorce.
The state also has some additional legal requirements for a divorce. One of the partners has to be a resident of the state for at least six months and a resident of the county where the divorce is filed for at least 30 days.
The Quick Way to Go Through It
Getting through a divorce relatively quickly is possible, but some conditions have to be met.
Uncontested Divorce vs. Contested Divorce
First of all, uncontested divorce is considered to be the fastest way to a dissolution of marriage. It means that both partners can sort out their differences without interference from a judge.
If partners cannot reach an agreement on child custody, property division, spousal support, etc., their divorce becomes contested, making it more complicated because it will involve a judge and often requires multiple court hearings.
Paperwork
There are two main ways to handle your divorce papers: hire a lawyer or do it yourself.
Lawyer
Using the services of an attorney is an obvious solution as they know what they are doing. A professional lawyer can guide the couple through the divorce process relatively smoothly unless some disputes arise.
However, Wisconsin has different requirements regarding legal papers that can vary from county to county. It means that it is better to hire a specialized attorney. Naturally, you can expect some considerable expenses when choosing this option.
Do It Yourself
This option is less common but often used by couples who are going through an uncontested divorce. In a DIY divorce scenario, spouses go through all the procedures and documentation without an attorney. Such an approach has advantages and disadvantages.
The main advantage of this method is the ability to control the whole process while potentially saving money. It is possible to cut the cost of divorce considerably by doing papers without an attorney.
The disadvantage is a chance of making some mistakes. Mistakes in divorce documentation can cost time and cause additional stress.
However, there are ways to negate this downside of DIY divorce. Today, it is possible to use the services of an online divorce paperwork assistance company. Such websites provide users with a platform to generate all the necessary documents easily.
These services are also called web divorce or internet divorce platforms. They are time-saving as divorce forms are usually ready within several business days. Moreover, they help you avoid all the stress caused by filling out tons of documents when you don’t understand legal terminology.
File the Papers
After filling out all the required documents, a petitioner should make copies for the court and the respondent. The next step is to submit the papers to the court and pay filing fees. If the petitioner cannot afford to pay for the services, the court provides an option to request a waiver.
Serve the Papers
The state of Wisconsin has specific rules regarding the serving process. If both parties do not have disagreements, the petitioner can deliver the paperwork in person. The recipient signs an “Admission of Service” form used as proof of service for the court.
Another way to serve papers is to hire a sheriff or a private process server. If the filing process is led by a lawyer, they are responsible for serving the other party.
Waiting Period
After documents have been filed, Wisconsin family law has a mandatory 120-day waiting period. If both partners have no disputes during this time, the divorce can be granted shortly after these 120 days.
Final Word
The state of Wisconsin provides an opportunity to go through divorce rather quickly if it is an uncontested case. The choice of how to proceed with all the required steps depends solely on each individual case.
