V-A

Law & application · statutes

Wisconsin family-law
statutes.

Direct links to Wisconsin’s official published text, paired with a disciplined statement of what each statute governs and where the analysis begins.

Custody, placement, and nonparent visitation

The statutory starting points

Official Wisconsin Legislature

Wis. Stat. § 767.41

Custody and physical placement

Rule
Governs custody and placement decisions, the best-interest factors, meaningful placement, required findings, and restrictions on placement.
Application
Start here for an initial custody or placement determination. The best-interest standard must be applied through the statutory factors and the record; it is not a substitute for findings.
Open official statute

Official Wisconsin Legislature

Wis. Stat. § 767.451

Revision of custody and placement orders

Rule
Sets different standards for modifying custody or physical placement depending on timing, the degree of change requested, harm, and whether circumstances have substantially changed.
Application
Identify the operative order, the governing subsection, and whether the requested change is substantial before arguing best interests or harm.
Open official statute

Official Wisconsin Legislature

Wis. Stat. § 767.43

Visitation rights of certain persons

Rule
Addresses visitation requests by grandparents and other qualifying nonparents, subject to statutory and constitutional limits protecting fit-parent decisions.
Application
Do not move directly to best interests. First identify the petitioner’s statutory route, the required relationship or triggering event, and the presumption favoring a fit parent’s decision.
Open official statute

This collection is educational. It does not identify which subsection governs a particular motion without the operative order, dates, requested change, and record.