Family court reform
Wisconsin
Where Wisconsin stands on each reform BMD tracks. General information, not legal advice.
Equal parenting time presumption
No bill yet
Makes an equal, or approximately equal, parenting-time schedule the legal starting point in a custody case. The presumption is rebuttable, and a court that orders something else has to say why.
Bill: AB 151 / SB 161 (2025-2026 session) - failed to pass
AB 151 and its companion SB 161 would have created a presumption that equalizing physical placement to the highest degree is in the child's best interest, amending s. 767.41 (4) (a) 2. and creating s. 767.41 (5) (am) 5m. The Senate committee held a public hearing on October 8, 2025. Both bills failed to pass on March 23, 2026 when the session ended under Senate Joint Resolution 1, so Wisconsin has no pending bill. Current law stands: under Landwehr v. Landwehr a court maximizes the time with each parent but is not required to order equal placement. Status confirmed 2026-10-07.
Source: official bill or statute page
Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Deployed-parent custody protection
No bill yet
Enacts the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act: a military deployment by itself is not a reason to change custody, orders made for the deployment are temporary and end with it, and a deploying parent may delegate parenting time.
No bill of this kind is cited for Wisconsin at the last review.
Reviewed 2026-10-06.
Parenting time interference remedies
No bill yet
Gives a parent denied court-ordered parenting time a real remedy - make-up or compensatory time, costs, or a penalty - rather than leaving contempt as the only route.
No bill of this kind is cited for Wisconsin at the last review.
Reviewed 2026-10-13.