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Family law matters rarely arrive at a convenient time. Whether you are facing a divorce, a custody dispute, or a disagreement over property and support, the decisions made during these proceedings can shape your life and your children’s lives for years to come.
At the law firm of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., our skilled family law attorneys work with individuals and families throughout Green Bay, Brown County, and surrounding communities — including De Pere, Ashwaubenon, Howard, and Allouez — on the full range of family law issues that Wisconsin courts handle.
No two family law cases are exactly alike. A divorce involving a family-owned business looks very different from a custody dispute between parents who live in different school districts. A paternity case with straightforward facts is a different challenge than one where parental fitness is contested.
Our attorneys take time to understand the specific facts of each situation before making recommendations about strategy. That means looking at the financial picture, the parenting history, the existing agreements or court orders, and the realistic range of outcomes under Wisconsin law. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach, because the courts in Brown County do not apply the law that way either.
We also recognize that family law cases carry real emotional weight. Our goal is to give clients clear, honest information about where their case stands and what their options are, so they can make informed decisions rather than reactive ones.
Wisconsin is a marital property state. That means assets and debts acquired during a marriage are generally considered jointly owned, and dividing them requires a careful accounting of what each party has, what each party owes, and what was brought into the marriage. In straightforward cases, this process can be relatively manageable. In cases involving business ownership, investment portfolios, deferred compensation, or real estate holdings, the division becomes considerably more complicated.
Green Bay has a strong manufacturing and business community, and a meaningful number of divorces here involve at least one spouse who owns or co-owns a business. Valuing a closely held business for purposes of divorce and legal separation requires more than looking at a tax return. Business valuation methods, the treatment of goodwill, and the question of whether business growth during the marriage is marital or separate property are all issues that courts in Brown County may be asked to weigh.
Similarly, households with significant retirement accounts, deferred income, or real property in multiple counties require detailed financial analysis before any settlement can be evaluated fairly. Accepting an early offer without understanding the full picture can result in outcomes that look reasonable on paper but leave one party in a significantly weaker position years down the road.
Our attorneys have experience working through these complexities. We may work with financial professionals, forensic accountants, or business valuation specialists when the facts of a case call for it. The goal is to make sure our clients understand what they have before agreeing to anything.
Family law covers a broader range of issues than most people initially realize. Peterson, Berk & Cross handles the following matters for clients in the Green Bay area:
Many people in Green Bay assume that hiring a lawyer means handing over the entire case. That is not always true, and for clients who are managing costs carefully, limited scope representation can be a practical way to get legal guidance at the moments that matter most.
Wisconsin law draws a distinction between legal custody and physical placement, and it is a distinction that matters. Legal custody refers to the right to make major decisions about a child’s life, including education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Physical placement refers to where the child lives and on what schedule.
Courts in Brown County evaluate custody and placement based on what serves the child’s best interests. That standard considers a range of factors, including each parent’s relationship with the child, the stability of each home environment, the child’s adjustment to school and community, and each parent’s willingness to support a relationship between the child and the other parent.
Joint legal custody is common in Wisconsin, but physical placement schedules vary widely depending on the facts. A child who is in school near a particular neighborhood in Green Bay, or whose activities are centered around a specific part of Brown County, may have a placement schedule that reflects those practical realities. Our child custody attorneys can help you understand what factors are most likely to influence a placement determination in your situation.
For parents trying to understand how shared placement may affect child support calculations, the Wisconsin Shared Placement Calculator offered by the Department of Children and Families can provide a general sense of how different placement splits interact with income figures. It is a useful starting point, though the actual calculation in your case may involve additional considerations.
Parenting records, communication logs, school involvement, and medical appointment history can all become relevant. Starting to keep organized records early in the process tends to be more useful than trying to reconstruct a history later.
If you are dealing with a divorce, a custody dispute, a support issue, or any other family law matter in the Green Bay area, speaking with an attorney early in the process can help you avoid decisions that are difficult to undo. Family law proceedings in Wisconsin involve real deadlines and procedural rules, and the choices made at the beginning of a case often affect how it resolves.
Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., serves clients throughout Brown County, including Green Bay, De Pere, Ashwaubenon, Howard, and Allouez. We offer consultations so that you can discuss your situation and get a clearer picture of your options before committing to a course of action. To schedule your free consultation, visit our contact page.
Wisconsin imposes a mandatory waiting period before a divorce can be finalized. Under Wisconsin’s 120-day divorce waiting period, the court generally cannot grant a divorce until at least 120 days have passed from the date the respondent spouse is served with the divorce petition. In practice, contested cases often take considerably longer, particularly when disputes over property, business interests, or custody require additional hearings or discovery.
No. Wisconsin courts apply a gender-neutral standard when evaluating custody and placement. The focus is on the child’s best interests, not the parent’s gender. Either parent may seek primary or shared placement, and the outcome depends on the specific facts presented.
A business started or grown during the marriage may be considered marital property subject to division. Courts may consider the business’s value, how it was funded, and how much of its growth occurred during the marriage. Accurate business valuation is often a central issue in these cases, and it typically requires more than a review of tax returns alone.
Many family law matters in Brown County are resolved through negotiation or mediation rather than a contested trial. Settlement is possible in cases involving property division, custody, and support, provided both parties are willing to negotiate in good faith. Even when cases settle, having an attorney review any proposed agreement before signing can help ensure that the terms are fair and enforceable.
Legal custody is the authority to make major decisions for a child, such as schooling and medical care. Physical placement is the schedule that determines where the child lives and when. These are separate legal concepts, and courts may award them differently depending on the circumstances. Wisconsin Chapter 767 family law statutes govern both concepts and the procedures courts follow in family law proceedings.
Peterson, Berk & Cross offers limited scope representation for clients who need legal assistance with specific parts of their case rather than full representation throughout. This can be a practical option for individuals managing costs while still wanting experienced legal guidance at key decision points.
