Legal Question in Family Law in Wisconsin

Do I have any legal rights now?

Twelve years ago I was engaged to be married, but my fiance returned to the family home to help raise his children until they left for college & I moved 800 miles away to start over again. He contacted me 4 years ago, begging me to return to IL & marry him. We wrote, called, & visited for a year before he finally talked me into moving from AR to IL to marry him. He announced our engagement, sent out invitations, we bought a house in Wisconsin & moved there 2 years ago in preparation for the wedding. Now his grown children have demanded he send me away or they will cut off all communication with him, so he has postponed the wedding indefinitely (spell that CANCELLED). I stopped working at his request in order to find the perfect house, then did most of the remodelling & landscaping while he worked (agreeable to us both). I do everything expected of a stay-at-home housewife (cooking, shopping, housework, laundry, errands, etc). Now he plans to sell ''our'' home & send me away to satisfy his kids' demands. Do I have any legal rights in this matter such as a portion of the house proceeds or the furniture we've bought for ''our'' home and ''our'' upcoming marriage? There are no common-law marriages in WI & everything is in his name.


Asked on 12/27/05, 3:00 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Mahoney Cassiani Law Office, Wise Shepherd Law Office

Re: Do I have any legal rights now?

Hello,

You may have some rights via contract and cohabitation. I would have to know more of your facts and the do some research to see how the law might rule based on those facts. Did you pay anything for the furniture, house or anything else? Has he offered you anything for your time, giving up your job, etc.? You should ask for some portion of the house value. Whether legally you can get it or not, I would have to check based on your facts. But ethically and morally, he can pay you whatever you both agree is fair. There is nothing legally to stop him from doing what is right. Email me if you would like.

Read more
Answered on 12/28/05, 9:04 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Adoption questions and answers in Wisconsin