Archives: Settlement

Collaborative divorce has been tried and tested in a number of states and is spreading throughout the country.

When a divorce is looming, but not yet filed, at what point must the husband and wife get court approval for family law agreements?

In few other areas of law do the parties to a lawsuit share as intimate a knowledge of each other as do those in a divorce case. In addition, in few other areas of law will the parties have an ongoing relationship with each other after the lawsuit is completed.

In Bonds v. Bonds, the California Supreme Court held that the failure of a spouse to secure independent legal representation during negotiations with the spouse who was promoting entry into a prenuptial agreement does not, per se, invalidate the agreement at the time of divorce.

In Randall v. Randall, when a court applies the shared-time formula for child support, it is also required to order the parties to share the variable costs for the children in the same proportion in which they share the children.

As a result of June 7, 2000, a Supreme Court of Wisconsin case, Washington v. Washington, 2000 WI 47, trial courts now have the power to grant relief, even years after the judgment.

On February 22, 2000, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin granted review of the court of appeals decision in Meyer v. Meyer, which involves the treatment of professional degrees under Wisconsin family law.

Pretend for a minute that Hillary was not as accepting of Bill’s infidelity as she appeared to be. What issues would arise in the divorce case of Clinton v. Clinton?

On Feb. 22, the high court granted review of the Court Appeals decision, to focus upon whether a court in a maintenance determination can consider a period of premarital cohabitation, and whether a professional degree is an asset for purposes of an unjust enrichment claim.

Recently, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Troxel v. Granville, No. 99-138 (argued Jan. 12, 2000), involving the issue of grandparent visitation. While it remains unclear whether the Court’s opinion will have any significant impact in Wisconsin, the case involves issues of basic and significant societal concerns.