Practice Areas

Stertz Law seeks to meet the legal needs of individuals and families.

Family Law

Whether you are seeking a divorce, or to define and exercise your rights as a parent, or to protect your income or assets during a future marriage, or to change or enforce a current court order, an attorney can help you navigate and understand the documents and procedures. In some cases, an attorney called a Guardian ad Litem may be appointed to represent the best interests of a minor child involved in family court proceedings. Attorney Stertz practices in all areas of family law, including as Guardian ad Litem.

Reach out if you’d like more information about how Attorney Stertz can help you in your family matter.

Divorce
Marital Property Agreements
Paternity
Modification of family order
Enforcement of family order

Criminal and Traffic Defense

Whether you’re charged with first-offense Operating While Intoxicated or a high-level felony, a diligent attorney can make the difference in your case. When you are facing the prospect of losing your driver’s license, spending time in jail or prison, enduring interruptions to your family and career from probation agents, or “just” paying thousands of dollars in fines and court costs, don’t leave your defense to a Google search. Engage an attorney dedicated to preserving your rights, discovering and asserting your defenses, and representing the best version of you to the court. Due to the probable perception of a conflict of interest, these services are not offered in cases involving the Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office.

Do you or a loved one have a need for a free 30-minute initial consultation concerning a criminal or traffic matter, not involving the Outagamie County DA’s office? Let us know here:

Estate Planning

Not everybody needs a Will. Not everybody needs a Trust. But, most adults should have one or the other. Every competent adult should have advance directives providing instructions for how to proceed in the event of incapacity. And every few years, everybody should check to make sure their current estate plan – their Will or Trust – is still meeting their needs. Attorney Stertz is happy to discuss which documents make the most sense for you and your family, and to draft the one(s) you need.

Are you interested in learning how Attorney Stertz can help your family with estate planning and/or advance directives?

Children’s Court

When Child Protective Services gets involved, there is more at stake than the inconvenience of meeting with social workers. Sometimes children are placed with family members or in foster families. Sometimes unreasonable conditions are recommended to the court in order for the agency to stop its involvement. And sometimes, when everything goes wrong, a Child in Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS) case can lead to a Termination of Parental Rights case. Having a qualified attorney on your side means your interests are represented, your defenses are asserted, and if the court does enter an order granting the petition, you understand exactly what is being asked of you. Right now, five counties appoint attorneys to parents involved in CHIPS cases, but all counties permit parents to be represented. Attorney Stertz proudly represents parents in CHIPS and Termination of Parental Rights cases.

Will
Revocable Living Trust
WisPACT Trust
Powers of Attorney
Non-Probate Transfers