Sterling Lawyers exists because family law shouldn't get more expensive the longer it takes. When we started the firm, the hourly-billing model in this industry was built for the firm, not the family — every phone call, every email, every minute on a meter, with the bill arriving on the back end. You know the cost when you walk in the door, and that number doesn't move because a case takes a few extra weeks. Our Racine office handles family law exclusively. That means divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, legal separation, marital property division, pension and retirement division, business valuations in divorce, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, paternity, and post-decree modifications. We don't do criminal defense, personal injury, estate planning, or real estate. Family law is the only thing we practice, and that focus pays off — in the depth of our attorneys' experience, in the network of guardians ad litem, custody evaluators, appraisers, and financial neutrals we work with regularly, and in our familiarity with how Racine and Kenosha County family courts actually run day to day. Our office is at 731 Main Street in downtown Racine, directly across the street from the Racine County Courthouse. That proximity matters more than it might sound — your attorney can step from a strategy meeting into a hearing without crossing town, and clients coming in for an appearance often combine it with a brief meeting at the office. From here we serve clients across Racine and Kenosha counties — Mount Pleasant, Caledonia, Sturtevant, Burlington, Union Grove, Waterford, Rochester, Franksville, Wind Point, Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Somers, and the surrounding communities. You'll work with a team, not a solo attorney. Each case is staffed with an attorney plus a paralegal and intake support, and many of our attorneys are also trained mediators or certified collaborative law practitioners. When a case calls for it, we use those skills directly to reduce conflict and avoid unnecessary court appearances. When a case calls for litigation, we're prepared to litigate. Three separation paths let us match the approach to the situation:
Uncontested divorce — for couples who agree on the major terms and want a clean, efficient resolution. Contested divorce — for cases where serious disagreement exists and a stronger advocacy approach is required. Three Stage Divorce — our structured middle path. Settle what you can, identify what you can't, and use court resources only where they're actually needed. A few questions we get often:
How long does a Wisconsin divorce take? Wisconsin has a 120-day minimum waiting period from the date of filing. Uncontested cases tend to resolve close to that minimum. Contested cases typically run 8–14 months depending on complexity, court calendars, and whether children, businesses, or significant assets are involved. We'll give you a realistic timeline at consultation based on your specific situation. What does the fixed fee cover? Everything inside the case — research, phone calls, emails, court appearances, mediation sessions, document drafting, and travel. The number you see at the start is the number you pay. The only costs outside the fixed fee are third-party items like filing fees, expert witnesses, or evaluators, and we'll flag those up front so nothing arrives as a surprise. I live in Kenosha — is the Racine office the right one? Our Racine attorneys are licensed in Wisconsin and regularly handle cases out of the Kenosha County Courthouse as well as the Racine County Courthouse. If your divorce will be filed in Kenosha County, your attorney will work that courthouse just as they work Racine's. Jurisdiction follows residency, so where you live determines which courthouse your case is filed in, not where our office sits. What about pensions, 401(k)s, and other retirement accounts? Pension and retirement division is one of the most common — and most overlooked — issues in southeastern Wisconsin divorce cases. Many local employers offer significant pension plans, deferred compensation, or longstanding 401(k) and IRA balances, and dividing them correctly typically requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) or equivalent. We handle this work routinely, including coordinating with QDRO drafters when a plan requires it. The fixed fee covers our work; if a third-party QDRO drafter is needed, we'll flag the additional cost up front. A consultation. We'll listen to your situation, explain the options that fit, answer your questions, and give you a clear upfront quote for your case. There's no pressure to retain that day. Before you decide whether a consultation is the right next step, the free tools on our website may help: alimony and child support calculators, parenting plan templates, Wisconsin divorce forms, and weekly webinars led by our attorneys covering the divorce process, custody fundamentals, and what to expect in court. When you're ready, call our Racine team or book a consultation online.
