Custody Attorneys Schaumburg

Because they involve your parental rights, custody concerns are always critical matters. Custody concerns can occur within the context of divorce, can be based on the need for modifications, or can arise in relation to children born outside of a marriage. Whatever kind of custody concern you are facing, seek the professional legal counsel of an experienced child custody attorney in Schaumburg today. 

Child Custody in Illinois

The State of Illinois no longer uses the terms child custody and visitation, but the meanings have not changed. In Illinois, legal custody is now called parental responsibilities, and physical custody is now called parenting time, but the basics remain the same.

Parental Responsibilities

Parental responsibilities refers to the important decision-making responsibilities that parents make, and these responsibilities can play out in any of the following ways:

• You and your children’s other parent can share this responsibility evenly.
• You and your children’s other parent can share this responsibility evenly, but one of you will have tie-breaking authority.
• One of you can be assigned sole decision-making responsibility. 
• You and your children’s other parent can divide this decision-making responsibility according to the category of decision that is being made. 

The kinds of questions guided by these parental responsibilities include:

• Your children’s ongoing schooling
• Your children’s extracurricular activities
• Your children’s religious upbringing
• Your children’s healthcare needs

It’s important to note that the kinds of everyday questions that continually arise when children are involved remain the responsibility of the parent who has them at the time. 

Parenting Time

Parenting time refers to physical custody, and it determines when your children will be with you and when they will be with their other parent. When it comes to determining this allotment of parenting time, you have wide-ranging options, but the two basic categories include:

• One of you will become the primary custodial parent, and your children will make their primary home with you while having a visitation schedule with the other parent. Some parents prefer this option when their children are young – to help provide the children with the stability that many consider to be in their best interests. 
• You and your children’s other parent may choose to divide your time with the kids equally – or nearly equally – in accordance with whatever schedule works for you. 

Bypassing the Court’s Intervention

If you, your children’s other parent, and your respective custody attorneys are able to resolve your custody concerns between yourselves, you can bypass the court’s intervention in making these important decisions. If not, you’ll need the court to step in. the court’s child custody decisions are always based on what it determines to be in the best interest of the children involved.

An Experienced Custody Attorney in Schaumburg Is on Your Side

Matters related to child custody are of primary importance, and the well-respected custody attorneys at SLG Family Law in Schaumburg take great pride in protecting the parental rights of clients like you. We’re here for you, so please don’t wait to contact us today.