Custody Attorneys Tinley Park

If you are facing a divorce that involves children, you need a child custody modification, or you have any other child custody concerns, the most important first step you can take is consulting with an experienced custody attorney in Tinley Park. Child custody under Illinois law is now referred to as parental responsibility (legal custody) and parenting time (physical custody), but the basics remain the same. 

Child Custody Decisions

You and your children’s other parent are welcome to negotiate child custody arrangements between yourselves that you both agree to, and the court is very likely to incorporate your decisions into your final divorce decree. If you and your ex, however, cannot come to an agreement on the matter, the court will do so for you – basing its decisions on what it determines to be in the best interests of your children. Keeping this decision-making process out of court is generally considered preferable but is not always possible.

Legal Custody or Parental Responsibility

Children rely on their parents to make important decisions for them regarding their ongoing health and well-being, and this responsibility is addressed by legal custody. This parental decision-making power can be shared by both you and your children’s other parent (joint legal custody), or the responsibility can be bestowed on only one of you (sole legal custody). Further, you can divide the types of decisions you make between the two of you. The kinds of decisions addressed by legal custody include:

• Decisions about your children’s education
• Decisions about your children’s religious upbringing
• Decisions about your children’s extracurricular activities
• Decisions about the medical care and attention your children receive

Physical Custody or Parenting Time

The other component of child custody is naturally how your children will split their time between you and their other parent. If you and your divorcing spouse hammer out a parenting time schedule that works for you and that you are both in agreement about, you are free to do so. If the court makes the decisions for you, however, you will very likely receive a standard parenting plan in which you either split your time with the kids fairly evenly or in which one of you becomes the primary custodial parent (with whom your children reside the majority of the time) while the other parent is awarded a standard parenting time schedule. Because the court bases all its decisions that directly affect children on the best interests of those children and because it is generally considered preferable for children to maintain a relationship with both parents, it is rare for a parent not to be awarded at least some parenting time (in one form or another). 

An Experienced Child Custody Attorney Can Help

If you have child custody concerns, an accomplished custody attorney in Tinley Park at Dalmares & Associates with the experience, drive, and skill may be able to help you. For more information about what we can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.