Top Child Custody Attorney Downers Grove

Top Child Custody Attorney Downers Grove

Child custody in Illinois is addressed in terms of parental responsibilities and parenting plans, and each of these represents an important element of your parental rights. If you have a concern related to child custody, it’s time to reach out for the professional legal guidance of the top child custody attorney in Downers Grove. 

Parental Responsibilities

Parental responsibilities refer to your decision-making power as a parent. Parents face a wide range of primary decisions they must make on behalf of their children over the course of their childhoods, and in Illinois, this is addressed as parental responsibilities, which cover decisions like the following:

• Decisions about your children’s education
• Decisions about your children’s religious upbringing
• Decisions about your children’s healthcare requirements
• Decisions about your children’s travel and participation in extracurricular activities

The options for how you and your ex will resolve the term of parental responsibilities include:

• Making each of the decisions together 
• Making each of the decisions together but allowing one parent to break a tie if it ultimately becomes necessary to do so
• Awarding one parent sole parental responsibilities
• Dividing the decisions between you according to the category of decision that needs to be made

It’s important to note that decisions of less consequence, such as those related to menu choices and other ordinary matters, remain the responsibility of the parent who is on the parenting time schedule at the time. Further, if a decision must be made in an emergency, such as a medical emergency, the available parent will be called upon to make it. 

Parenting Plan

Your parenting plan is the schedule that determines when you will have your children with you and when they will be with their other parent. If you and your ex are able to hammer out a schedule that works for both of you, it may be unique to you, but if you need the court’s input, you should expect to receive one of its standard schedules. Although the particulars can vary, all parenting time schedules fall into one of the following categories:

• One parent becomes the primary custodial parent.
• Parenting time is divided somewhat evenly between both parents. 

When courts make parenting time determinations, they carefully consider the best interests of the children involved by weighing factors such as the following:

• The preferences of each parent
• The preferences of each child – who is considered mature enough to weigh in
• How well the status quo in terms of the children’s home, school, and community is working
• How involved each of the parents is in raising the children
• How likely each parent is to support a close, ongoing relationship between the children and the other parent
• How capable each parent is of providing the children with what they need both physically and emotionally

A Top Child Custody Attorney In Downers Grove Can Help

Cameron H. Goodman at Goodman Law Firm in Downers Grove, Illinois, is an accomplished child custody attorney who is on your side and well prepared to help you resolve your child custody concerns favorably. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.