A recipient of a JD from Hamline University in Minnesota, Kate Murtaugh serves as an attorney at Gionis & Murtaugh Law Office, LLC, formerly Gionis Law Office, located in Wisconsin. In this role, Kate Murtaugh concentrates her legal expertise in several areas, including family law matters, representing clients in handling family-related cases such as divorce.

Divorce is the termination of a marriage. In Wisconsin, the court decides on matters including spousal support and division of property. If the couple has a child together, arrangements for the child's legal custody and physical placement will be necessary. Divorce is subject to a 120-day waiting period. For six months after the divorce is granted, the parties are not allowed to remarry in any country.

Unlike divorce, a marriage does not terminate because of a legal separation. The papers, instructions, procedural information, and 120-day waiting time for a legal separation are identical to those for divorce. Couples have the option to reconcile at any moment. Neither of the legally separated parties is allowed to marry another person.

If both spouses agree, the legal separation can be converted to a divorce. If they do not agree, after one year from the day the legal separation was granted, either spouse can request a divorce by submitting a motion.