Illinois Child Custody Attorneys Serving Clients in Zip Code 60606

Going through a child custody case in the Chicago area can be difficult and emotional, and it is essential to have help from an experienced lawyer. Whether you are just beginning to think about a child custody matter due to an impending divorce or separation, or you have an allocation judgment and require assistance seeking a modification, a dedicated child custody attorney 60606 can talk with you today about how we can help. Our firm represents clients in Cook County in a wide range of child custody matters.

Allocation of Parental Responsibilities in Zip Code 60606

Child custody cases in Illinois are now known as the allocation of parental responsibilities. Parental responsibilities under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) include both significant decision-making responsibilities (previously known as legal custody) and parenting time (previously known as physical custody and visitation). These parental responsibilities can either be allocated through a parenting plan that the parents jointly agree upon or through an allocation judgment issued by the court if the parents do not agree. 

With both parenting plans and allocation judgments, the allocation of parental responsibilities must focus on what is in the child’s best interests. Some of those “best interests” factors outlined in the IMDMA include but are not limited to:

• Child’s wishes if the child is mature enough to express a reasoned and independent preference;
• Child’s current adjustment to their home, school, and community;
• Mental and physical health of the parents and the child;
• Parents’ ability to cooperate for the sake of the child;
• Level of conflict between the parents;
• Prior agreements made between the parents concerning parental responsibilities;
• Parents’ wishes; and
• Child’s needs.

What Are Significant Decision-Making Responsibilities in 60606?

According to the IMDMA, significant decision-making responsibilities involve “deciding issues of long-term importance in the life of the child.” In general, significant decision-making responsibilities include:

• Education decisions;
• Health care decisions; and
• Religious education or upbringing decisions.

Under Illinois law, when parents do not have an agreement concerning the child’s religion, the court will not include an allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities concerning the child’s religious education or upbringing. In other words, religion will only be included in a court order if the parents reach an agreement or if the parents previously had an express or implied agreement concerning the child’s religious upbringing.

What is Included in Parenting Time and Caretaking Functions?

Illinois law defines parenting time as “the time during which a parent is responsible for exercising caretaking functions and non-significant decision-making responsibilities with respect to the child.” These involve a wide range of responsibilities cited in the IMDMA, such as the following:

• Satisfying the child’s nutritional needs;
• Managing the child’s bedtime and wake-up routines;
• Attending to the child’s hygiene;
• Providing care when the child is sick;
• Ensuring the child attends school;
• Taking the child to extracurricular activities;
• Ensuring the child’s physical safety;
• Directing the child’s developmental skills;
• Disciplining the child;
• Taking the child to medical appointments; and
• Providing moral and ethical guidance for the child.

Contact Our Child Custody Lawyers in Zip Code 60606

Do you have questions or concerns about child custody law in Cook County? Whether you need assistance with a current child custody case or need help with a modification or relocation, our firm is here to assist you. An experienced child custody lawyer in zip code 60606 can begin working with you today on your child custody case. Contact Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group to learn more about the services we provide to clients in the Chicago area.