Yes. You can prepare and file most of an online divorce in Wisconsin using the court system’s free forms assistant and its eFiling system. The case still runs through the circuit court in your county, a mandatory waiting period still applies, and the court still holds a final hearing, which it may hold in person or remotely.
For an online divorce in Wisconsin, filing happens through the circuit court eFiling system. Under Wis. Stat. § 801.18, licensed Wisconsin attorneys must eFile, while self-represented spouses may choose to eFile or file on paper. The eFiling system charges its own fee in addition to the court filing fee, and you can ask the court to waive fees if you cannot afford them. At least one spouse must meet Wisconsin’s residency requirements before filing. Our guide on how to file for divorce in Wisconsin walks through each step.
The court system’s family law forms assistant asks you questions and fills in most divorce forms, including maintenance, child support, legal custody, physical placement, and property division. It does not cover paternity actions or annulments, and it does not save your answers, so you must finish in one session. If you file alone, your spouse must still be served with the summons, petition, and related papers. Before the final hearing you also file financial disclosure statements and a marital settlement agreement. See the full list of documents needed to file for divorce in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin law requires a waiting period after filing before the court can hold the final hearing. At that hearing, a spouse testifies under oath that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Some Wisconsin courts hold hearings by video or phone. The court notifies you if your hearing is remote, and your county court explains how it runs remote hearings.
A private website that sells divorce paperwork does not replace any of these steps. Court staff can give general information but not legal advice. Before you file, read the risks of filing for divorce without a lawyer in Wisconsin, and check your county’s procedures in the court system’s Basic Guide to Divorce.
Renier Hotopp Law Offices attorneys eFile the divorce cases they handle, including uncontested divorces in Wisconsin, so an online divorce in Wisconsin with a lawyer still moves electronically. Learn more about the firm.
