Bolingbrook Child Custody Lawyer

If you are divorcing, your primary concern is often your child custody arrangements. Divorce is hard on the entire family, but it can really take a toll on the children involved. Working closely with a dedicated Bolingbrook child custody lawyer will help secure the peace of mind you need when it comes to your children’s futures. Your parenting arrangements are far too important to leave to chance, so consult with an experienced child custody attorney today.

Illinois Parenting Laws

While most of us think about “child custody and visitation” when it comes to divorce and our children, Illinois has adopted a more modern approach. Instead of looking at custody as an either/or proposition (one parent or the other with primary custody), the State of Illinois looks at parenting on a spectrum that gives both parents important rights when appropriate. As such, the law in Illinois focuses on the allocation of parenting time and responsibility between the parents. Ultimately, a detailed parenting plan will specify the schedule for sharing physical custody and how you will share important decision-making responsibilities for your child.

Decision-Making Responsibilities

If you have children, you understand exactly how many decisions you are responsible for making in their lives on a regular basis. Some of these decisions involve basic caretaking, and the responsibility for making these decisions often lies with the parent who has physical custody of the children at the time the decisions in question are made. 

Other decisions, however, are more significant, and your parenting plan should directly address who makes certain decisions regarding important matters, including:

• Your child’s education
• Your child’s religious upbringing
• Your child’s medical care
• Your child’s extracurricular activities

Often, these responsibilities are shared by both parents, but they can be granted exclusively to one parent or the other. 

Your Right to Parenting Time

The time you spend with your children is paramount, and you want your parenting plan to adequately address the unique circumstances of your situation and your schedule. You should work closely with your Bolingbrook child custody lawyer to find an arrangement that works for you and your family. If you are unable to reach an agreement – even with the aid of mediation – the court will need to decide the matter for you.

The court’s goal is always to serve your child’s best interests. The judge in your case will have considerable discretion in this matter, and he or she will take several factors into consideration in the process:

• You and your divorcing spouse’s wishes
• The distance you and your divorcing spouse live from one another
• You and your spouse’s work schedules
• Your child’s school situation
• Your child’s extracurricular schedules
• Your child’s connection to family members or the community
• The physical and emotional needs of your child, including any special needs
• Each parent’s ability and willingness to properly provide for your child

If your parenting time and responsibilities are allocated by the court, you give up the opportunity to make these important decisions yourselves. You should explore every option for child custody resolutions with your trusted attorney.

If You Have Child Custody Concerns, an Experienced Bolingbrook Child Custody Lawyer Can Help

If you are divorcing, your children’s ongoing welfare, well-being, and happiness will be a primary concern. The dedicated legal team at Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group in Bolingbrook, Illinois, is on your side. Our experienced child custody lawyers have the knowledge, compassion, and determination to skillfully advocate for you and your children’s rights. For more information, please contact us today.

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