Custody Attorneys Rolling Meadows

Parenting concerns are often one of the most challenging terms of divorce, and they can also arise outside of divorce in the form of post-decree modifications or in relation to parents who were never married. If you are facing a parenting concern, one of the most important steps you can take to help protect your parental rights and resolve the matter favorably is reaching out to an experienced custody attorney in Rolling Meadows early in the process. 

Parenting Matters in Illinois

In an Illinois divorce, child custody is referred to as parental responsibilities (decision-making) and parenting time (physical time with your child). When Illinois courts make decisions related to parenting, they always put the best interests of the involved children at the forefront. In their efforts, they consider best-interest factors such as the following:

• Each parent’s preference regarding the arrangements
• Each child’s preference regarding the parenting time arrangements (if the child is found to have the emotional maturity to reasonably weigh in)
• How well each child has adjusted to his or her current living situation, including in terms of the home, school, and community
• Each child’s overall needs, including any special needs
• The physical and emotional health of both parents and each child
• The degree to which each parent has participated in raising the children to date
• Each parent’s ability and inclination to support the other parent’s ongoing closeness with the children
• Each parent’s ability and inclination to engage in cooperative co-parenting moving forward

Parental Responsibilities

Parental responsibilities determine the matter of who will be making the major parenting decisions that guide the children’s upbringing, including those related to the following:

• Their medical care
• Their schooling
• Their religious upbringing
• Their extracurricular activities

You and your children’s other parent have all the following options when it comes to addressing the matter of parental responsibilities:

• One of you can take on sole parental responsibility and can make these primary decisions on your own. 
• You and your ex can make each of these primary decisions cooperatively. 
• You and your ex can make each of these primary decisions cooperatively, but one of you takes on tie-breaking authority for those decisions that remain unresolved.
• You and your ex can divide this decision-making authority between you according to the kind of decision that needs to be made. 

Parenting Time

Parenting time sets the schedule by which you and your ex will divide your time with your children. If you are able to come to an agreement between yourselves, your scheduling options are basically unlimited. If not, however, the court is very likely to assign you one of its standard parenting time schedules.

Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Custody Attorney in Rolling Meadows Today

The seasoned custody attorneys at SLG Family Law in Rolling Meadows understand the gravity of parenting cases and have the experience, compassion, and commitment to help. Your case is important to you and your children’s future, so please do not delay reaching out and contacting us for more information today.