Custody, Placement, Paternity & Child Support

When parents separate, the most important legal questions often concern who will make major decisions for the child, where the child will spend time, and how the child will be financially supported. Wisconsin law treats legal custody, physical placement, paternity, and child support as related but distinct issues.

Legal custody and physical placement

I represent parents in disputes involving legal custody and physical placement, including initial orders, temporary orders, contested placement schedules, school and medical decision-making, and cases involving a guardian ad litem. The focus is not on slogans such as “50/50,” but on the child’s best interests and a schedule that can actually function for the family.

Paternity

Paternity cases establish the legal relationship between a child and a parent and often require decisions about custody, placement, child support, health insurance, and expenses. I represent parents in both newly filed paternity matters and later disputes arising from existing paternity judgments.

Child support

Child support can involve guideline calculations, shared-placement formulas, variable income, health-insurance costs, arrears, modification, and enforcement. I help clients understand what the current order requires and what information the court will consider when support is established or changed.

Modification and enforcement

Circumstances change. I handle motions to modify custody or placement, requests to enforce placement orders, contempt and enforcement issues, and disputes involving repeated interference with court-ordered placement.

Children are not leverage

Custody and placement litigation can become personal very quickly. I try to keep the legal issue where it belongs: on the child’s welfare, the governing order, the evidence, and what arrangement is sustainable going forward.

Talk with Guth Law

If you need help establishing, modifying, or enforcing a Wisconsin custody, placement, paternity, or child-support order, contact Guth Law to discuss the available options.

This information provides a general overview of Wisconsin law and is not legal advice regarding any particular case.