Certain types of behaviors can make someone very difficult to be married to. Blaming others, black-and-white thinking, lack of ability to take responsibility for one’s actions and consequences, and a tendency to engage in risky behaviors are all associated with high-conflict relationships. Unfortunately, these behaviors tend to get worse during divorce and people who were unable to manage conflict during a marriage are likely to be hostile and difficult to work with in a divorce. Here are five behaviors from your spouse that could indicate you may be headed towards a high-conflict divorce in Milwaukee County. 

Your Spouse Has to Be Right All the Time

Everybody likes to be right, but when one partner always insists on being correct and never apologizes for their mistakes or shortcomings, divorce can be very difficult. A crucial part of divorce is compromise, which includes admitting that the other person’s perspective is legitimate and worth consideration. If your spouse cannot do this during your marriage, they are unlikely to start doing so during divorce. 

Your Spouse is Dishonest

Hiding things, cheating, telling white lies for no reason - all of these are warning signs that a peaceable divorce is not in the cards for you. Clear communication and timely information trading are important parts of divorce, and when attorneys cannot get information from their clients because clients are trying to hide things, divorce can take much longer and be more hostile. Spouses with unstable personalities may have difficulty sticking with one attorney, or may exhibit other erratic and dishonest behaviors that protract divorce and make negotiation difficult or impossible. 

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The terms “battery” and “assault” are often used interchangeably when people talk about criminal charges for acts of physical violence, but these two terms are not the same and describe behavior with different legal consequences. Because they are both violent offenses with serious criminal penalties, it is important to understand the difference between battery and assault if you have been charged with one or both of these crimes. 

Battery

Battery is an act of force intended to cause bodily harm. “Bodily harm” includes, but is not limited to bruises, cuts, burns, hair loss, or illness. Charges of simple battery that do not involve great bodily harm are usually punished as misdemeanors that can carry up to nine months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines. If you used a weapon, or even just threatened to use one, you could face additional jail time of up to six months. 

Under certain circumstances, however, battery can also be punished as a felony. When battery causes substantial or great bodily harm, or is committed against an elderly person, pregnant woman, a police officer, or disabled person, the battery can be prosecuted as a felony. The consequences of the felony charge will be determined by how badly the person was hurt and whether they were a member of a protected class. The most serious felony battery charges could land you in jail for up to 15 years and fines up to $50,000. 

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As the opioid overdose epidemic continues to rage across America and potential policy suggestions are a topic of heated discussion and debate, Wisconsin had 1,227 opioid deaths in 2021 and the Wisconsin legislature has decided to take action. In a new law, Wisconsin has now increased the consequences for being convicted of fentanyl distribution, making the penalties similar to those for distributing heroin. As public health authorities struggle to get a handle on this serious issue, they are hoping that increased punishments will deter at least some distributors and keep those who are caught behind bars longer. If you have been accused of possessing, manufacturing, or distributing fentanyl or heroin in Wisconsin, it is essential to understand the consequences of a conviction. 

Penalties for Distributing Fentanyl in Wisconsin 

Criminals convicted of making or distributing fentanyl are now subject to the following punishments according to the amount of fentanyl in their possession: 

• Possessing up to 10 grams is a Class E felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or fines up to $50,000
• Possessing between 10 and 50 grams is a Class D felony, punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or fines up to $100,000
• Possessing over 50 grams is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 40 years in prison and/or fines up to $100,000

Those charged with fentanyl distribution should be aware that selling or even giving opioids to someone who overdoses may allow the distributor to be also charged with reckless homicide, which carries penalties of up to 60 years in prison. Additional penalties are available if the person who received the opioids is less than 18 years old. 

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When someone is arrested for switching price tags in a retail store, it is usually a young adult who thinks little of the action and may even be doing it as a dare or a joke with friends. This behavior, however, constitutes criminal retail theft and has serious consequences. Whether you are the parent of a teen accused of this behavior or have been accused of it yourself, it is important to take the charges seriously and to have an experienced Wisconsin criminal defense attorney representing you. 

How Serious Are the Charges for Price Tag Switching? 

While someone who switched price tags may have paid for, or tried to pay for, the merchandise and therefore may believe they did not really steal it, price tag switching is seen as a form of retail theft. Someone who hides some merchandise inside of other merchandise which they pay for, puts merchandise in their pockets, or wears merchandise like clothing under their own clothing to conceal it, has also committed an act of retail theft. 

Wisconsin’s theft offenses are categorized according to the value of the property that was stolen, although the type of property can also affect the charges. If the amount of merchandise was less than $2,500, the charges usually will not exceed a Class A misdemeanor. But the consequences even for a Class A misdemeanor are severe, including up to $10,000 in fines and up to nine months in jail. These charges can be increased to Class I felony charges if the person who tried to switch price tags or otherwise steal merchandise was working with other people. 

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Choosing a divorce attorney is an important decision that can have an impact on your life long after your Wisconsin divorce is finalized. While Wisconsin state law is the same for every divorcing couple, the advocacy of a great divorce lawyer can make a major difference in the quality and outcome of both the divorce process and the final divorce decree. If you are unhappy with your current attorney, you may want to make a change; here is an overview of the process. 

Common Reasons People Fire Their Divorce Lawyers

Ideally, your attorney will work hard on your behalf and respond to you in a timely manner. They should show interest in your case and be advocating for your best interests. Unfortunately, attorneys are normal people, and they have professional shortcomings just like everyone else. Here are some common reasons you might fire your divorce attorney: 

• The attorney responds to your calls or emails very slowly or stops responding altogether 
• The attorney acts against your wishes without consulting you first 
• The attorney comes to meetings or court appearances and is disorganized, missing important information, or seems otherwise unprepared 
• The attorney seems to lack a clear understanding of the applicable laws 
• The attorney is engaging in unclear or unethical billing 
• The attorney acts unethically by failing to inform you of settlement offers, having undisclosed conflicts of interest, or breaking the attorney-client confidentiality 
• The attorney seems not to care about the outcome of your case  

How Do I Change My Divorce Attorney? 

It is important to note that the court will need to approve the change in attorneys before the case moves forward. Sometimes courts will not approve a change in attorneys because a trial date is too near or because a client has changed attorneys too many times already. Before firing your old attorney, it is important to talk to your new attorney and give them as much information as possible so any likelihood that the court may reject the substitution is taken into account. 

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