Chicago Attorneys for Mothers’ Rights Help with Child Custody & Visitation

Another shift in divorce law language is that the term custody is now referred to as the allocation of parental responsibilities, which governs the sharing of significant decision-making.  A court may decide that parents will share equally in making significant decisions about the child’s well-being or they can also allocate certain significant decisions, such as religious upbringing, to only one of the parents.

Further, what we used to call a visitation schedule is now discussed in terms of parenting time.

A “parenting plan” is signed off on by the court to allocate parental responsibilities and parenting time.  This parenting plan is the document that specifically outlines who holds significant decision-making responsibilities and will allocate parenting time for each parent.

Best Interests of the Child

When it comes to determining the allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities and parenting time, the court will look to what is in the child’s best interests. Some of the factors the court will consider include, but are not limited to:

• Wishes of the parents
• Wishes of the child
• Child’s needs
• Mental and physical health of the parties
• Willingness of parents to cooperate with one another
• Willingness of a parent to encourage a close relationship between the other parent and the child
• Distance between the parents’ residence
• Physical violence or abuse

The court can also take into account additional factors that help to determine what is in the child’s best interests.

Contact A Chicago Family Law Attorney

If you have questions about parental responsibilities and parenting time in Illinois, we can help. We advocate for mothers throughout the Chicago area, and we can discuss your options with you today. Contact the Women’s Divorce & Family Law Group to learn more.