Wisconsin
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Wisconsin — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's court system runs a self-help law center covering divorce, legal separation, custody, and property division — with procedure guides and a guided forms assistant. Start there before anything else.
Wisconsin Court System — Self-Help: Divorce & Family Law
The official starting point: procedure guides, forms, and a guided interview for divorce and family cases.
wicourts.gov — self-help divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral Service
Search online anytime, or call (800) 362-9082 / (608) 257-4666 (Mon–Fri, 8–5). Referred attorneys charge no more than $20 for the first 30-minute consultation.
wisbar.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Wisconsin Law Help
Statewide legal-aid directory with a “Find Legal Help” matching tool. Supported by the Legal Services Corporation.
wislawhelp.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Wisconsin takes reports county by county — there is no single statewide hotline. Find your county agency's office and after-hours numbers here. Examples: Dane County 608-261-5437, Milwaukee County (414) 220-7233.
dcf.wisconsin.gov/reportabuse →WHEDA — Foreclosure Prevention
Loss-mitigation options (forbearance, repayment plans, loan modification) for Wisconsin homeowners. Call 800-334-6873.
wheda.com — foreclosure prevention →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in Wisconsin
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Wisconsin.
Where to go
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Wisconsin
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Wisconsin.
How it works
petition the circuit court in your county
Typical court fee
$164.50
Newspaper notice required?
yes — once weekly for 3 weeks
Small claims court in Wisconsin
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Wisconsin.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
typically about $95
Can you bring one?
yes, allowed
Clearing your criminal record in Wisconsin
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Wisconsin stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement, but narrowly limited
What qualifies
under 25 at the time of the offense, offense carries 6 years or less maximum imprisonment, ordered at sentencing
Waiting period
no fixed waiting period — ordered at sentencing and takes effect after sentence completion
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Wisconsin →
Child support in Wisconsin
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Wisconsin.
How it's figured
percentage of obligor income (17%/25%/29%/31%/34% of gross income for 1–5+ children) Wisconsin Dept. of Children and Families publishes the percentage standard (DCF 150) and an online calculator
When it ends
age 18, or up to 19 if still pursuing a high school diploma
Lemon law in Wisconsin
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Wisconsin's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles only (purchased or leased)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ aggregate days out of service within warranty term or first year
What you get
refund or comparable replacement vehicle, at the consumer's choice
Tenant rights in Wisconsin
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Wisconsin.
Notice before eviction
5-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment (14-day no-cure notice on repeat default within 12 months); 28 days to end a month-to-month tenancy
Deposit limits & return
No statutory cap; return within 21 days; written itemized statement required
When the landlord won't fix things
No repair-and-deduct statute; rent abatement remedy for unfit conditions after notice and inspection process
DUI / DWI in Wisconsin
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Wisconsin handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
$150 to $300 fine, no jail, 6 to 9 month license revocation
How far back DUIs count
Lifetime
Gun laws in Wisconsin
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Concealed weapons license required; shall-issue (21+)
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required on private sales Waiting period: none (the old 48-hour handgun wait was repealed in 2015).
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes permits from many other states, subject to the state's official recognized-state list
Filming the police: your rights in Wisconsin
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Wis. Stat. § 968.31)
No buffer-zone law
Wisconsin has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
ACLU v. Alvarez, 679 F.3d 583 (7th Cir. 2012), held the First Amendment protects openly recording police performing duties in public. In August 2025 the 7th Circuit (which covers Wisconsin) struck down Indiana's 25-foot police buffer law as unconstitutionally vague.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Wisconsin
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Wisconsin
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Wisconsin
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Wisconsin
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Wisconsin
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →