Child Custody Attorney Cook County

Illinois Child Custody Lawyer Serving Clients in Cook County

Going through a divorce or separation is never easy, but this experience is increasingly more complex when you share minor children with your ex. Anytime you are getting divorced or ending a relationship from which you have kids, you will need to go through a child custody case. In Illinois, child custody cases are no longer named as such, but rather involve the allocation of parental responsibilities. To be clear, under Illinois law, courts do not award child custody but instead allocate different parental responsibilities to the parents. At Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group, we are committed to helping you through your child custody case. An experienced child custody attorney in Cook County can speak with you today. 

Cook County Parental Responsibilities

The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA) no longer has language about child custody. Instead, language of child custody has been replaced with language of “parental responsibilities.” Parental responsibilities are similar to legal and physical child custody but with more flexibility for families. Instead of awarding child custody, courts in Cook County allocate two types of parental responsibilities:

• Significant decision-making responsibilities, which are similar to legal custody; and
• Parenting time, which is similar to physical custody and visitation.

The IMDMA states that significant decision-making relates to issues that will impact the child significantly now and in the future. Those issues typically include education, health care, and religion. Parenting time means the actual time the child spends with the parent, during which the parent is taking care of the daily needs of the child. 

Common Issues Our Cook County Child Custody Attorneys Handle

In child custody cases where courts allocate parental responsibilities, many different kinds of issues can arise. Our Cook County child custody lawyers routinely assist parents with a range of legal matters, including but not limited to:

• Significant decision-making responsibilities versus parenting time;
• Restrictions on parental responsibilities;
• Best interests of the child factors for allocating parental responsibilities;
• Child’s preference in issues pertaining to significant decision-making responsibilities and parenting time;
• Allocating decision-making responsibilities concerning religion;
• Creating a parenting plan;
• Relocation;
• Modifications of an allocation judgment or parenting plan; and
• Effects of domestic violence on child custody cases.

Factors in Determining the Best Interests of the Child in Cook County

Under the IMDMA, courts focus on the best interests of the child in order to allocate parental responsibilities. When parents develop a parenting plan and reach an agreement on allocating parental responsibilities, that parenting plan must also focus on the best interests of the child. The IMDMA outlines a number of factors to be used in determining what is in a child’s best interest.

Contact Our Experienced Cook County Child Custody Lawyers Today

If you are going through a divorce or separating from a partner with whom you share minor children, it is extremely important to seek advice from one of our experienced Cook County child custody attorneys about your case. Illinois child custody law can be complex, and it is critical to have an advocate on your side to help with the allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities and parenting time. Contact Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group for more information.