Recent Blog Posts
Unexpected Ways Social Media Can Adversely Affect Your Divorce
As of 2025, almost 70 percent of people in the United States are active social media users. Facebook remains the largest social media platform, with more than 3 billion users worldwide. On average, Americans spend about 2 hours and 19 minutes each day on social media.
In the United States, 68% of people (roughly 308 million) are active on social media. YouTube is the most often used social media site in the U.S., followed by Facebook. People spend an average of 2 hours and 19 minutes on social media daily. For most of us, social media is a part of our everyday life. In fact, it has become so commonplace for us to share personal details on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other sites that we hardly think twice about it.
However, if you are going through a divorce, you absolutely need to think about how your social media posts could affect your divorce – and not in a positive way. If you are contemplating a divorce or are already in the middle of one, how you use social media is extremely important. Speak to an experienced Menomonee, IL family law attorney.
Wisconsin Governor Announces New Crime Initiatives in 2025
Governor Evers recently announced new initiatives that will address crime in Wisconsin in the coming year, particularly gun crimes. The governor is also creating a new Office of Violence Prevention in his administration. The governor referenced the gun crime changes by reflecting on the deadly shooting in Madison last month at the Abundant Life Christian School.
These initiatives are meant to boost community safety and prevent violence. Gun deaths in the state have increased 54 percent over the last decade, compared to a nationwide increase during the same time period of 34 percent. The governor has previously included gun safety measures in state budgets, only to have the Legislature remove those items prior to passing the budget.
While it is hoped that gun crimes will be reduced, there are plenty of people in Wisconsin who are facing lesser gun charges that could land them in prison for a very long time. If you are facing charges for a gun crime, it is extremely important that you speak to a knowledgeable Oconomowoc, WI criminal defense attorney.
How Digital Assets Can Complicate a Wisconsin Divorce
Several years ago, the term "digital assets" referred largely to photographs stored digitally on a computer. The term has an entirely different meaning today after the explosion in cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Bitcoin, as well as nonfungible tokens (NFTs). As of 2024, it is estimated that 6.8 percent of the global population has invested in cryptocurrency.
Although many people have at least a marginal understanding of cryptocurrencies, NFTs are a bit more difficult to explain. Tokens are unique and associated with specific, verifiable pieces of data. They cannot be divided, duplicated, or destroyed, although they can be lost. At their core, a digital key file is purchased that is associated with a piece of artwork, music, or property title.
Regardless of how deep your understanding of these digital assets is, if they exist in your marriage, they are part of the division of marital assets that occurs during a divorce. It is important that your Oconomowoc, WI family law attorney has a good understanding of digital assets so that you can ensure a fair division.
Are You A "Person of Interest" in a Wisconsin Crime?
Being called in to talk to the police can be an anxiety-inducing experience, particularly if you are unsure why you are there. You may be told you are only a person of interest – a phrase commonly used by law enforcement to describe anyone potentially connected to a criminal offense when there is insufficient evidence to label the person a suspect.
Being labeled a person of interest can mean that you truly are not a suspect, and the police only believe you have information that could help them find the true suspect. It can also mean that the police believe you might be a suspect and are hoping you will provide information that allows them to move you from the person of interest category to the suspect category.
Even if you are told you are "only" a person of interest, you should never speak to the police regarding a criminal matter without having an experienced Muskego, WI criminal defense attorney by your side. Speaking to the police on your own could inadvertently result in your saying something that is taken out of context and used to prosecute you for a crime.
How to Deal with a Juvenile OWI in Wisconsin
Recently, a teen from Western Wisconsin was cited for OWI after crashing into a wooded area off US 18 outside of Bridgeport. The SUV the teen was driving traveled off the left shoulder of the four-lane highway, going across a snow-covered grassy area before crashing into a heavily wooded area. The teen suffered only minor injuries and was cited for OWI and Failure to Keep a Vehicle Under Control.
Every parent’s worst nightmare is receiving a call that their child is in trouble. Of course, the first priority is to ensure the child is physically unharmed. After that, the juvenile criminal charges facing your child can leave you unsure of what you need to do to protect his or her future. Having a Milwaukee, WI juvenile criminal charges attorney can help you make the right decisions to minimize the long-term damage from these criminal charges.
Personality, Motive, and Means in a High-Conflict Divorce
Although no divorce is ever likely to be considered easy or comfortable, some are more contentious than others. A high-conflict divorce is characterized by intense animosity, a seemingly endless loop of disagreements, and legal battles that keep the divorce going for years. Every decision in a high-conflict divorce devolves into chaos and quarrels, whether it involves asset division, the allocation of parental responsibilities, or spousal support.
High-conflict divorces seem to bring out the absolute worst in people, making closure and moving forward difficult, if not impossible. While there are many aspects to a high-conflict divorce, this type of divorce rarely exists if three elements are absent: personality, motive, and means. While those words may conjure up visions of a murder mystery, they also apply to a high-conflict divorce. If you believe your divorce will be especially complex, speaking to an Oconomowoc, WI family law attorney can be beneficial.
How Serious is a Fourth Wisconsin OWI?
A 40-year-old Wisconsin man was recently pulled over for driving with no headlights. Before the police had the opportunity to administer impaired driving tests, the man exited the vehicle, lay on the ground, and stated, "You got me." The driver subsequently consented to a search of his person and vehicle. The police allegedly found cocaine in the driver’s pocket, along with a half-full pitcher of beer taken from a local pub on the floorboard.
Field sobriety tests were then performed, and the man was arrested for his fourth OWI offense. Because of prior OWI convictions, the man was subject to a 0.02 alcohol concentration restriction and was driving with a revoked license and without a mandatory ignition interlock device. His chemical breath test showed a BAC of 0.11 percent.
Can You Keep Your Engagement and Wedding Ring in a WI Divorce?
Most women remember every detail surrounding their engagement ring because it often coincides with being asked to marry the person they fell in love with. Although both parties may choose wedding rings together, both the engagement and wedding rings are technically given to the other spouse before they are officially and legally married.
While it might seem that this renders engagement and wedding rings separate property, this assumption is not always upheld when a dispute arises. Like a handful of other states, Wisconsin is a community property state. This means that all marital assets are split 50/50, regardless of any extenuating circumstances. Most states in the United States have gone to equitable distribution, meaning marital assets are split fairly, although not necessarily equally.
Before allocating marital assets, determining which assets are separate and which are marital must occur. Many different factors are involved in splitting marital assets, including engagement and wedding rings. Having an experienced Menomonee Falls, WI divorce attorney from Bucher, Wolff & Sonderhouse, LLP by your side can make these issues much easier, causing you far less stress.
Can I Seek Attorney Fees When My Spouse Causes Divorce Delays?
Sometimes, a spouse who is perhaps not on board with a divorce persists in causing delays and taking unreasonable positions, dragging out the divorce longer than necessary and making it more expensive. This can also occur when one spouse argues about virtually everything for no other reason than to be contentious. The spouse who just wants the divorce over and done with can be tempted to walk away from his or her share of assets or from receiving spousal support that is well-deserved.
While it is understandable to be exhausted from a spouse who is unnecessarily causing the divorce to drag out, rather than giving up assets that are rightfully yours, seeking attorney fees from your spouse may be the better choice. If you find yourself in such an untenable situation, speaking to a knowledgeable Brookfield, WI divorce attorney from Bucher, Wolff & Sonderhouse, LLP can be your best course of action.
Do Disorderly Conduct Laws Violate Free Speech?
Because more and more election workers are being harassed and even threatened, the Marathon County Board of Supervisors recently voted to approve a revision of the county’s disorderly conduct ordinance. The change would allow law enforcement to cite an individual when harassing behavior is directed toward an election official.
Before the change, the ordinance prohibited a person from engaging in "violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance." The change in the ordinance adds a line addressing the behaviors listed above when directed at an election official.
Although the ordinance passed, there was some pushback among several board members who objected, saying they were concerned that the ordinance violated constitutionally guaranteed free speech. Another stated that he feared the ordinance could hinder a citizen’s ability to question election integrity. Violation of the new ordinance could bring a fine between $500 and $1,000.