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The Law Center Staff
Emily Dudak Leiter

Latest from The Law Center, S.C. Blog

Do You Need An Injunction (Restraining Order)?
Are you in imminent danger of physical harm? Are you experiencing coercive, threatening, controlling, bullying, or harassing behaviors? If you answered yes to either question, it may be worthwhile to consult with a Wisconsin attorney on legal options to protect you and your family.

It can be helpful to speak with a trauma-informed attorney who is experienced in providing protections for those facing domestic violence, mistreatment, child abuse, bullying, and harassment. Such…
Continue Reading Obtaining A Restraining Order in Wisconsin

If you are considering engaging in surrogacy, you may be thinking about embryos, matching, medical appointments, contracts, travel, finances, birth plans, and parentage, all before a pregnancy has even begun. At The Law Center, S.C., we help clients wade through all of this information, and in the right order.
We represent intended parents, surrogates (sometimes also referred to as gestational carriers), fertility clinics, surrogacy coordinating programs, and gamete donors with assisted reproduction matters. Families come in many forms,…
Continue Reading Understanding the Surrogacy Timeline in Wisconsin: What to Expect

Choosing a power of attorney for health care is one of the most personal decisions in an estate plan. This is the person who may speak for you if illness, injury, or incapacity prevents you from making your own medical decisions.

In Wisconsin, a power of attorney for health care allows you to name a health care agent. That agent can make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. Wisconsin’s Department of…
Continue Reading Choosing a Power of Attorney for Health Care in Wisconsin

IVF can create possibilities that once felt out of reach. It can also create legal questions that many people do not expect until they are already in the middle of treatment, storage forms, consent documents, medical decisions, and family planning.

One of those questions is what should happen to frozen embryos if plans change.

At The Law Center, S.C., we help families think carefully about assisted reproduction, parentage, and the legal relationships that may follow. Families come in…
Continue Reading What Is an Embryo Trust? A Guide for Intended Parents

Estate planning is not only about what happens after death. It is about giving your family direction when they may be grieving, stressed, or unsure what to do next.

A will and a trust are two common estate planning tools. They can both help you decide who receives your property, who should be involved in carrying out your wishes, and how your loved ones should be protected. They do different things, however, and many Wisconsin families use both.

At…
Continue Reading Wills vs. Trusts in Wisconsin: What is the Difference?

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At The Law Center, S.C., we understand that these matters are not abstract legal questions. They are about whether your documents reflect who you are. They are about whether your relationship with your child is protected. They are about whether your family is treated with dignity under Wisconsin law.

Our firm has long believed that families come in many forms. Some families have one parent, two parents, or more than two people who play meaningful roles in a…
Continue Reading Legal Rights of Transgender Individuals and Families in Wisconsin

Before an adoption can be finalized in Wisconsin, the child must be legally free for adoption. That requires a court order terminating the birth parents’ legal rights and duties. Once parental rights are terminated, the birth parent generally no longer has rights to custody, placement, visitation, or decision-making for the child. The adoption can then be finalized.
Two Paths To Termination

  • Voluntary termination. A birth parent knowingly and willingly consents to termination, often as part of an adoption plan.

…
Continue Reading Adoption And Termination Of Parental Rights In Wisconsin: What Prospective Adoptive Parents Should Know

Family asset protection is all about making sure the people you love are safe and secure if something happens, if a relationship changes, or if someone outside your family questions the legal relationship you already know is real.
For same-sex couples in Wisconsin, marriage provides important legal protections. But marriage alone does not answer every question. Estate planning, parentage confirmation, property ownership, beneficiary designations, and health care decision-making still need careful attention.
At The Law Center, S.C.,…
Continue Reading Protecting Your Family Assets as a Same-Sex Couple in Wisconsin

Planning for a loved one with special needs can feel like trying to answer too many questions at once. Where will they live? Who will help make decisions? How will care be paid for? What happens when parents, grandparents, or other caregivers are no longer here?
At The Law Center, S.C., we help Wisconsin families create plans that protect a loved one’s quality of life and autonomy, without unintentionally disrupting important benefits. Your family depends on you. You…
Continue Reading Special Needs Trusts: Protecting Loved Ones for Life

If you are a same-sex couple wanting to build a family, you may wonder, what is legally required? How do I protect our parental rights? What happens if something is not set up correctly from the beginning? When should we consult a lawyer?

Here is the short answer: in Wisconsin, both surrogacy and adoption are available paths for same-sex couples, but neither is as smooth as it should be. Each path requires careful legal planning to make sure your…
Continue Reading Pursuing Surrogacy or Adoption for Same-Sex Couples

Maybe your schedule has changed. Maybe your child is struggling with the current routine. Or maybe something about the other household has shifted in a way that raises concern.

In Wisconsin, modifying child custody depends on timing. If it has been less than two years since the initial order, you may need to show that the current arrangement is harmful to your child. After two years, you must show a substantial change in circumstances and that the proposed change…
Continue Reading How to Modify Child Custody and Placement in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, you are not required to hire an attorney to file for divorce. However, whether you should depends on your situation. Even when a divorce seems straightforward, decisions made during the process can have long-term consequences for your finances, your children, and your daily life moving forward. Understanding what is involved can help you make a more informed decision.
In short, you may not need full representation from a family lawyer for a simple, fully agreed-upon divorce.
Continue Reading Do You Need a Lawyer for a Divorce in Wisconsin?

Will my parental rights be fully recognized and protected?

The answer depends on how your family is formed and what legal steps are taken along the way. Planning ahead can make a meaningful difference in how secure your rights are from the moment your child is born.

LGBTQ+ parents in Wisconsin who use assisted reproduction need additional legal steps, such as parentage orders, adoption, or carefully drafted agreements, to ensure both parents are fully recognized in all states and…
Continue Reading Establishing Parental Rights for LGBTQ+ Parents in Wisconsin ART Cases

Divorce can be difficult for any family. When a child has special needs, there can be more questions:

How will care be shared between households?

How will therapy, schooling, and medical needs be handled?

What happens if one parent has been primarily responsible for those routines?

What if parents disagree regarding education, treatment interventions, or medical care?

These are not issues that fit neatly into a standard parenting arrangement.

Divorce involving a child with special needs often requires more…
Continue Reading How Divorce Affects Special Needs Children and Support Services in Wisconsin

Whether you are dealing with divorce, custody, or a more complex situation involving your child or your family unit, the outcome can affect your life long after the case is over.
The Law Center, S.C., the focus is not just on resolving or “winning” a case. It is on whether the result makes sense for the people involved, especially the child.
Family Law With a Conscience
We do not take every case. Before moving forward, the firm looks…
Continue Reading Solving Your Family Law Challenges in Wisconsin: How The Law Center, S.C., Can Help

Here is an update from Attorney Emily Dudak Leiter of The Law Center, S.C., regarding Davis v. Ermold and Moore:

As most have heard already, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal constructed by Kim Davis and Liberty Counsel, which was attempting to overturn Obergefell and marriage equality. The Supreme Court declined to review the case last week, and they did so without comment. That is a huge relief. That means nothing is imminent.

I wanted to

…
Continue Reading Update Regarding Davis V. Ermold And Moore