Villa Park, Illinois Child Custody Lawyers

Attorneys for Parenting Time and Parental Responsibilities in Villa Park Family Law Cases

When parents choose to separate or get a divorce, questions about where a child will live, who will make important decisions on the child's behalf, and how each parent will remain involved in the child's daily life may all need to be addressed. In some cases, parents may be able to reach agreements on matters related to child custody, while in others, disputes may need to be resolved in court. Regardless of how a case is handled, parents will need to understand how legal issues may be addressed and how they can protect their children's best interests.

At A. Traub & Associates, our attorneys work with parents in Villa Park to navigate legal matters related to their children. Whether working to help clients reach agreements that will allow for shared co-parenting or advocating for sole custody, we can provide the guidance needed to resolve these cases successfully.

Joint Custody and Sole Custody Under Illinois Law

Although the laws in Illinois do not use terms such as "joint custody" or "sole custody," these concepts may still be addressed when determining how child-related issues will be handled after a couple's separation or divorce. Child custody agreements or court orders will determine how parental responsibilities and parenting time will be distributed between the parents.

When Parenting Arrangements Function as Joint Custody

When both parents share decision-making authority, and each parent has a significant amount of parenting time, these arrangements are what most people think of as joint custody. Illinois courts will often encourage parents to put arrangements in place that will allow children to maintain meaningful relationships with both parents. Ideally, agreements will encourage parents to cooperate and work together to meet their children's needs and be closely involved in the children's upbringing.

A shared parenting arrangement will not necessarily require parenting time to be divided equally between parents. An agreement may give parents equal decision-making authority while children will live with one parent most of the time. In a joint custody arrangement, both parents will be able to play a meaningful role in children's lives through day-to-day parenting, major decision-making, or both.

When One Parent May Receive Primary Responsibility

In some cases, awarding the majority of parenting time and decision-making authority to one parent may be the best way to provide for a child's best interests. This may be an option in a case where one parent has been a child's primary caregiver, when the parents live far apart, when one parent has a history of domestic violence or substance abuse, or when there is a high level of conflict between the parents.

Even if one parent will be granted sole custody, Illinois courts will typically take steps to ensure that a child will be able to spend regular parenting time with the other parent. Parenting time will typically only be restricted if there are concerns about a child's safety, well-being, or emotional stability when they are with a parent. If necessary, a court may order supervised parenting time or place other restrictions on a parent to ensure that a child's best interests will be protected.

Allocation of Decision-Making Responsibilities

The decision-making responsibilities that may be addressed in child custody cases will cover four significant areas of a child's life: education, health, religion, and extracurricular activities. Courts may allocate all of these areas of responsibility to both parents jointly, requiring them to consult with each other and reach agreements on major decisions related to their children. If necessary, one parent may be given sole responsibility in certain areas, or they may be the primary decision maker with the requirement to consult with the other parent before making major decisions.

Parenting Time

The physical custody of children may address where they will live on a day-to-day basis and the times when they will be with each parent. Parenting time may be allocated in a way that will help ensure that both parents can be closely involved in children's lives.

Regular Parenting Time Schedules

A regular weekly or biweekly schedule can detail the specific days and times when children will spend parenting time with each parent. A schedule can be customized to meet a family's needs, such as by having children alternate weeks between each parent's home, spend weekdays with one parent and alternate weekends with each parent, or spend certain weekdays in either home.

When developing a parenting time schedule, parents may need to consider children's ages, school schedules, work schedules, regular activities and routines, the distance between the parents' homes, or other factors that may affect daily parenting time. Our lawyers can help parents develop practical schedules that will encourage parental involvement and cooperation, minimize potential disputes, and provide for children's ongoing needs.

Holiday and Special Occasions

A parenting plan may also address how holidays, school breaks, and other significant occasions will be handled. A schedule may specify when children will stay with each parent on major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Fourth of July, how time may be divided during school breaks, and when children will be able to participate in celebrations for birthdays for different family members.

Contact Our Villa Park, IL Child Custody Attorneys

Decisions about children are some of the most important issues handled in family law cases. The arrangements that parents put in place can shape the future of their family. While parents may have their own ideas about how these matters may be handled, it is important to focus on what is best for their children. At A. Traub & Associates, our attorneys work with parents to create parenting agreements that will protect their children's best interests. Our goal is to help a family maintain stability, ensure that children can be raised successfully, and avoid issues that could lead to disputes in the future.

Whether you are taking steps to address child custody during a divorce or after a separation or need to modify your parenting plan based on changes that have occurred, we can provide the legal representation you need. Contact our Villa Park child custody lawyers at 630-426-0196 to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team.