770.12 Terminating a domestic partnership.

(1)

(a) A domestic partner may terminate the domestic partnership by filing a completed notice of termination of domestic partnership form with the county clerk who issued the declaration of domestic partnership and paying the fee under s. 770.17. The notice must be signed by one or both domestic partners and notarized.

(b) If the notice under par. (a) is signed by only one of the domestic partners, that individual must also file with the county clerk an affidavit stating either of the following:

1. That the other domestic partner has been served in writing, in the manner provided under s. 801.11, that a notice of termination of domestic partnership is being filed with the county clerk.

2. That the domestic partner seeking termination has been unable to locate the other domestic partner after making reasonable efforts and that notice to the other domestic partner has been made by publication as provided in sub. (2).

(2) If a domestic partner who is seeking to terminate the domestic partnership is unable to find the other domestic partner after making reasonable efforts, the domestic partner seeking termination may provide notice by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the residence most recently shared by the domestic partners is located. The notice need not be published more than one time.

(3) Upon receiving a completed, signed, and notarized notice of termination of domestic partnership, the affidavit under sub. (1) (b) if required, and the fee under s. 770.17, the county clerk shall issue to the domestic partner filing the notice of termination a certificate of termination of domestic partnership. The domestic partner shall submit the record of termination of domestic partnership to the register of deeds of the county in which the declaration of domestic partnership is recorded. The register of deeds shall record the record and forward the original to the state registrar of vital records.

(4)

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), the termination of a domestic partnership is effective 90 days after the certificate of termination of domestic partnership is recorded under sub. (3).

(b) If a party to a domestic partnership enters into a marriage that is recognized as valid in this state, the domestic partnership is automatically terminated on the date of the marriage.

History: 2009 a. 28; 2017 a. 334.