Child Custody Lawyers Chicago

Child Custody Lawyers Chicago

If you are considering a divorce that involves shared children, are facing a divorce involving shared children that is already in the works, need a child custody modification, or have a child custody concern that lies outside of divorce, it’s a primary matter that will directly affect your parental rights. In order to protect your rights and obtain child custody terms that work for you and your children, having an experienced child custody lawyer in Chicago in your corner is key.

Parental Responsibilities

The State of Illinois addresses child custody in terms of Parenting Time and Decision-Making, which are the facets that used to relate to the term “custody”. The decision-making aspect of Parental Responsibilities (parental responsibility) determines how you and your ex will go about making major parenting decisions that have to do with matters like the following:

• Where your children attend school or daycare
• The medical attention your children receive
• The religious education your children receive 
• The extracurriculars your children participate in

You and your children’s other parent can continue to make these decisions together, which requires reaching mutually agreed upon decisions. One parent may be assigned the authority to break a tie, however, if your genuine efforts to reach a compromise ultimately fail. Other options include dividing this decision-making authority between the two of you according to the kind of decision that needs to be made or one of you taking on sole parental responsibilities. 

Parenting Time

The Parenting Time aspect of Parental Responsibilities sets the schedule that lets you know when the children will be with you and when they’ll be with their other parent. Your parenting time schedule should address specific details related to pickups and drop-offs, holidays, school breaks, summer vacations, birthdays, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. Generally, the more specific the schedule, the less risk there is that complications will arise. 

When it comes to parenting time schedules, there is a lot of variance, but they all fall into one of the following two camps:

• Traditionally, one parent has the primary custodial role while the other has a visitation schedule
• Now, parents are dividing up the parenting time between each other and no longer utilize the word custody in Illinois courts

Best Interest Factors

When Illinois courts make decisions regarding what was previously known as child custody, the children’s best interests are always at the forefront. In the determination of these best interests, the court takes factors like the following into careful consideration when determining Parental Responsibilities:

• Each parent’s preference
• The preference of each child who’s determined to be mature enough to participate
• The degree to which each parent has participated in raising the children thus far
• Each child’s needs, including any special needs, and each parent’s ability to address these needs
• Each parent’s commitment to successful co-parenting and to supporting the other’s ongoing relationship with the children 

It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced Child Custody Lawyer in Chicago

The accomplished child custody lawyers at WARD FAMILY LAW, LLC, in Chicago appreciate the magnitude of your child custody concerns and have the experience, drive, and legal skill to fiercely advocate for an advantageous case outcome that works for you and your children. We’re here to help, so please don’t put off contacting us for more information today.