Child Custody Attorney Harwood Heights, IL
There Is Nothing More Difficult Than Making a Determination About Child Custody. Our Lawyers Can Provide You the Quality Representation You’re Looking for.
Of all of the issues in a divorce that a separating couple in Harwood Heights must work together to resolve, there is none more emotional or complex than that of child custody, especially when both parents want to have full-time custody of a child. At the law offices of Gordon & Perlut, LLC, our family law lawyers in Harwood Heights can guide you through Illinois child custody laws, help you to reach an agreement with your spouse, or present to the court evidence that highlights your abilities as a parent and the reasons why you should be granted custody.
Types of Custody in Illinois
Illinois recognizes both physical custody and legal custody of a child. The first, physical custody, refers to the duty of being responsible for a child’s physical safety and wellbeing; the parent who has physical custody is the one with whom the child is living. Legal custody, on the other hand, refers to the ability to make decisions about the child’s life, such as the religion that the child should be raised, or where the child will go to school. “Custody” is now referred to in Illinois as “Allocation of Parental Responsibilities”.
Parenting time (“visitation”) may be shared 50/50, may be held in total by one parent or may be shared in another proportion. For example, one parent may have sole physical custody of a child, but both parents may have legal decision-making powers.
How a Court Makes a Child Custody Determination
Parents are encouraged to work together to create a parenting plan outside of the court that addresses physical and legal custody of the child, as well as things such as how the child will be transported from one home to another, how disputes regarding the child will be resolved, and more. Attending mediated sessions with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse may be helpful in reaching an agreement with which you both can live.
Of course, some couples, no matter how hard they try, cannot agree about custody. When this is the case, a court will issue a final Judgment for Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, based on numerous factors that assist the court in determining the child’s best interests. Some of these factors include the needs of the child, the willingness and ability of each parent to foster a loving relationship between the child and the other parent, and even the child’s wishes if the child is of a mature age.
Our Harwood Heights Child Custody Lawyers Will Advocate for You
At the law offices of Gordon & Perlut, our Harwood Heights child custody lawyers understand how difficult losing partial custody of your child can be, and how desperate you may be for competent legal counsel. When you call our law firm, our team will work hard on your behalf, and will always put the needs of you and your child first.
To schedule a consultation with our legal team, please call us directly or reach us online. We offer free phone consultations.