Illinois Child Custody Lawyer Serving Clients in Zip Code 60611

Illinois child custody in zip code 60611 is known as the “allocation of parental responsibilities.” While parents in the Chicago area continue to share the rights and responsibilities of parenthood, their specific responsibilities under the law are known as significant decision-making responsibilities and parenting time. Whether you are going through a child custody case as part of your divorce or you are splitting from your child’s other parent and need assistance with your case, an experienced child custody attorney 60611 can speak with you today about how we can assist you. 

Types of Child Custody Cases We Handle

There are many different kinds of child custody issues that can arise under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). We regularly represent clients in many types of child custody cases in Cook County, and the following are some of the issues we commonly handle:

• Significant decision-making responsibilities;
• Parenting time;
• Caretaking functions;
• Relocation;
• Parenting plan creation;
• Allocation judgments;
• Modifications of existing parenting plans or allocation judgments; and
• Domestic violence effects on child custody.

Understanding the Allocation of Parental Responsibilities in 60611

Under Illinois law, courts do not use the term “child custody” to refer to parental rights or to order legal and physical custody or visitation. Rather, courts in Illinois now use the term “allocation of parental responsibilities.” This shift in the law provides more flexibility, and it allows parents to share various types of significant decision-making responsibilities and caretaking functions through parenting time. 

The allocation of parental responsibilities can be decided through an agreed-upon parenting plan or through an allocation judgment. Whether parental responsibilities are allocated through a parenting plan or an allocation judgment, the arrangement must be based on what is in the best interests of the child.

Parenting Plans Versus Allocation Judgments in 60611

When parents can reach an agreement about how parental responsibilities will be allocated, they can provide that information in an agreed-upon parenting plan. As long as the court determines that the allocation of parental responsibilities that the parents have come up with is in the child’s best interests, the court can approve it. When parents can reach an agreement only about significant decision-making responsibilities or only about parenting time, then they can put that information in a parenting plan, and the court can allocate the other parental responsibilities.

In cases where parents cannot reach an agreement about how they will share parental responsibilities, the court will consider the “best interests of the child” factors set out in the IMDMA and will then issue an allocation judgment that allocates significant decision-making responsibilities and/or parenting time.

Contact Our Child Custody Lawyers in Zip Code 60611

When you are anticipating a child custody case or need assistance with an issue involving the allocation of parental responsibilities in Cook County, you should seek advice from our experienced child custody attorneys serving clients in 60611. Get in touch to find out more about how we can assist you. Contact Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group today for more information.