What happens after a divorce judgment?

The judgment of divorce is a binding court order. After entry of judgment, each former spouse is responsible for complying with the provisions governing property transfers, debt payments, support, maintenance, custody, placement, insurance, and any other obligations contained in the judgment.

Some parts of a divorce judgment are effectively final, while others can later be modified. Property division ordinarily cannot be reopened simply because a party later regrets the agreement or outcome, although limited statutory and procedural grounds may permit relief from a judgment. By contrast, child support, maintenance in many circumstances, legal custody, and physical placement may be modified when the applicable legal standards are met.

If a party does not comply with the judgment, the other party may have enforcement remedies. Depending on the issue, those remedies may include contempt, a motion to enforce physical placement, collection of support arrears, entry of a money judgment, or another appropriate postjudgment motion.

A divorce judgment therefore ends the marriage but does not necessarily end the parties’ interaction with the family court, particularly when they share children or have continuing support obligations.

Primary Wisconsin authorities: Wis. Stat. ch. 767, including §§ 767.451, 767.471, 767.59, and applicable civil procedure provisions.