Wisconsin Instructions for Service by Publication for a Divorce or Legal Separation is a legal process in which a petitioner (the individual filing for the divorce or legal separation) can provide notice of the action to the respondent (the individual being served) by publishing a legal notice in a newspaper. This process is used when the petitioner is unable to identify the respondent's whereabouts or when the respondent is avoiding service. There are two types of Wisconsin Instructions for Service by Publication for a Divorce or Legal Separation. The first is for an Uncontested Divorce or Legal Separation. This process requires the petitioner to publish a legal notice in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks that includes the petitioner's name and address, the respondent's name, the case number, and the court in which the action is being filed. The second type of Wisconsin Instructions for Service by Publication for a Divorce or Legal Separation is for a Contested Divorce or Legal Separation. This process is more complicated and requires the petitioner to publish a legal notice in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks that includes the petitioner's name and address, the respondent's name, the case number, the court in which the action is being filed, and a statement that the respondent's appearance in court is required. In both cases, the petitioner must provide proof to the court that the legal notice was published in the newspaper and that the respondent was served with the notice. This can be done by providing an affidavit of publication from the newspaper.