Lisle, IL Child Custody Lawyers

Attorneys Helping With Parenting Plans and Child Custody Issues in Lisle, Illinois

When parents decide to separate or get a divorce, many of their most pressing concerns will be related to their children. Child custody matters involve deeply personal issues, and the decisions made in family law cases can have lasting effects on family relationships and the well-being of children. Addressing these issues correctly will require assistance from an attorney who can help a parent protect their rights while focusing on their children's best interests.

At Goostree Law Group, we work closely with parents to help them understand their rights and responsibilities under Illinois law. We can provide skilled legal representation when negotiating parenting agreements or advocating for our clients in court. We have the experience needed to guide clients through challenging legal matters while helping them achieve outcomes that will support their families' needs.

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Understanding Parenting Time in Illinois

Illinois law uses terminology that may be unfamiliar to some people when addressing matters that were traditionally called "child custody" and "visitation." The term "parenting time" refers to the time a parent may spend with their child, including when the child is living in the parent's home or is in their care for shorter periods.

Parenting time includes all aspects of a parent's time with their child, including daily routines, activities, holidays, vacations, and special occasions. The goal in family law cases will be to create a schedule that will provide children with meaningful relationships with both parents while ensuring that their lives will be stable and consistent.

Our attorneys help parents develop parenting time schedules that will work for their families. We work with our clients to create detailed plans that address weekday and weekend schedules, holiday rotations, summer vacation time, and other special circumstances. When parents are willing and able to cooperate, we can guide our clients through negotiations and work to reach agreements on matters related to parenting time. In cases involving conflict, we will advocate for our clients' parental rights and present evidence to the court demonstrating why a particular schedule will serve the child's best interests.

Determining Where Children Will Live After Separation

One of the most significant questions that parents face when they separate is where their children will reside most of the time. While Illinois law encourages both parents to remain actively involved in their children's lives, arrangements may need to be made in which children will have a primary residence in one parent's home.

When one parent has the majority of parenting time, the child will primarily live at that parent's home. This does not mean that the other parent is less important. Instead, the designation of the child's primary residence may be based on factors such as school enrollment, activities, work schedules, and the child's established routines.

Courts may consider several factors when determining where a child should primarily live. The stability of each parent's home environment is important, since children will benefit from consistency and predictability. Geographic considerations may matter as well, particularly when parents live far apart. Maintaining connections to school, friends, and community can be important for a child's adjustment and well-being.

In some situations, parents may establish shared living arrangements where children will spend approximately equal time in each parent's home. These arrangements can work well when parents live near each other, are able to communicate effectively, and can provide consistency across their households. Shared residential arrangements will require coordination and cooperation between parents. Our team can help parents determine whether a shared living arrangement may be appropriate for their situation.

The Allocation of Parental Responsibilities

In addition to parenting time, Illinois law addresses the allocation of parental responsibilities, which refers to the authority that one or both parents will have when making decisions about significant issues that will affect a child's life. Parental responsibilities include decisions about children's education, such as what schools they will attend and whether they will receive tutoring. Healthcare-related decisions will need to be considered, including the choices of doctors and treatments. Other decisions may be related to a family's religious practices or children's participation in extracurricular activities.

Decision-making responsibilities can be allocated to parents jointly or separately for one or more categories. As with parenting time, decisions about parental responsibilities will be based on factors that may affect children's best interests. The issues that may be considered may include each parent's level of involvement in past decision-making and how well each parent can address children's needs.

Joint decision-making responsibility will require parents to consult with each other and reach agreements on major decisions. These arrangements will require effective communication and a willingness to compromise. When parents share decision-making authority, neither parent can make significant decisions without the other's agreement. If disputes arise, parents may need to return to court or use mediation to resolve disputes.

Sole decision-making responsibility may give one parent the authority to make decisions in one or more categories without needing to consult the other parent. This arrangement may be appropriate if parents are unable to communicate effectively or if parents live far apart and joint decision-making would be impractical. If one parent has had more knowledge or involvement in a particular area, they may be granted sole authority for certain decisions.

Our attorneys can help parents understand how decision-making authority will be addressed in family law cases. We can provide guidance on how responsibilities may be allocated in a way that makes sense for a family. We work to negotiate agreements that will allow both parents to be involved in important decisions while ensuring that they will be able to address and resolve disagreements that may arise. When necessary, we can present evidence to the court showing why a particular allocation of parental responsibilities will serve the child's best interests.

Joint Custody Arrangements in Illinois

When people refer to joint custody, they typically mean arrangements where both parents will have significant parenting time with their children, and they will both have input into major decisions about how children will be raised. Joint custody arrangements can take many forms. Some parents may have relatively equal amounts of parenting time, with children spending close to half their time with each parent. Others may create arrangements where one parent will have more parenting time, but the other parent will still have substantial and meaningful time with the child. Similarly, joint decision-making can mean that parents share all decisions equally, or it can involve each parent having primary authority in certain areas while consulting with the other parent.

Our law firm helps parents who want to work together create joint custody arrangements that will work effectively. We can help our clients establish clear communication and decision-making procedures as well as methods of resolving disputes.