Most people recognize that there are a few things that you should never ask others about and that their health is one such topic. Parents who find themselves negotiating over child custody may not have the luxury of keeping such information private, though. A parent's...
Defending What Matters Most
Child Custody
Post-divorce parenting: You need the same rules
One important thing that can make post-divorce parenting go smoothly is if you and your ex have the same rules for your children. This gives them the same sort of structure and routine that they would have experienced during the marriage, and it can reduce conflict....
Can you cut off your ex’s visitation rights?
It’s sometimes hard for parents to share custody rights. Maybe your children tell you that they don’t want to go stay with your ex. Maybe you don’t like the living environment they’re subjected to when they’re at that person’s home. You may be sorely tempted to cut...
Is it time to let your child choose their custody schedule?
In Illinois, children have the right to choose which parent they want to live with once they are 14 years old. At that age, most judges and courts would agree that children are old enough to understand who they want to live with and the repercussions of their choices....
These are 4 things you need to include in your parenting plan
Your parenting plan is going to make a huge difference in how your child is raised and how you’re able to handle conflicts and differences between yourself and ex-spouse. A parenting plan’s entire purpose is to make the future easier and to give you and your ex a set...
The new school year is a good time to review a parenting plan
With the start of the new school year approaching, it is a good idea for divorced parents in Illinois to review their parenting time orders to ensure they still meet the child’s needs. For example, a parent might have moved out of the child’s school district over the...
When parenting time may be restricted or supervised
In the general the hope is that children have both parents involved in their lives in a meaningful way. This is generally what is best for children. This is why even after a divorce, both parents will generally have parenting time with their children. This does not...
Dealing with unexpected changes in the custody schedule
Your ex needs to pick the kids up on Friday night -- instead of Saturday morning when the custody agreement says that their parenting time starts. They’re planning a big weekend trip with the kids, and they tell you that they need to get an early start. Do you allow...
Understanding child custody and a child’s best interests
Illinois parents who are getting a divorce will want to serve the child’s best interests with child custody and visitation. However, the parents’ perception of a child’s best interests might differ from how the law perceives it. When the court decides on a case, it is...
A primer on child custody in Illinois
One of the principal questions that worries an Illinois resident who is contemplating a divorce is child custody. Many people simplify the question as simply “Who gets the kids?” The Illinois legislature changed the question slightly when it passed the Marriage and...