Posts Categorized: Child Custody

When Teenagers Refuse Parenting Time In Illinois: What Parents Should Know

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When a teenager refuses parenting time, parents often feel stuck between honoring their child’s feelings and following a court order. In Chicago and across Illinois, this situation arises frequently as children grow older and become more vocal about their preferences. Emotions can escalate quickly, especially when one parent believes the other is encouraging resistance. Courts, however, focus less on frustration and more on legal responsibility and the child’s best interests. Understanding h...   Read more ...  

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4 Main Areas Used To Decide Child Custody in Illinois

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A Comprehensive Guide for Families in Chicago and Surrounding Areas Deciding child custody, now referred to in Illinois as allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, is one of the most significant and emotional issues families face during divorce or separation. While terminology has changed under Illinois law, the core legal principle remains the same: courts in Chicago, Chicago and throughout Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, and beyond must make decisions that reflect ...   Read more ...  

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Mistakes That Could Put Your Child Custody Rights At Risk 

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Protecting your child custody rights in Illinois requires careful attention to the law and your actions during and after the divorce process. Parents often underestimate how certain behaviors can negatively affect their custody rights, even when they have the best intentions. Courts in Illinois prioritize the best interests of the child when determining custody, and specific mistakes can lead to losing or restricting parental responsibilities. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Ac...   Read more ...  

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Legalizing Marijuana and My Child Custody Case

Illinois first allowed marijuana for medical reasons through legislation enacted in 2013 and followed up this effort by legalizing marijuana for recreational use in May 2019. Though the most recent statute doesn’t become effective until January 2020, Crain’s Chicago Business has already predicted that revenue from recreational-use marijuana is expected to top $1.6 billion in the state.   Another issue regarding legal marijuana may come as a shock to anyone going through child custody pr...   Read more ...  

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Child Custody Changes Come to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act

In 2015, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act was amended to acknowledge the realities that parents in today’s world face. One of the most significant changes was the deletion of the terms “custody” and “visitation” to refer to the decision making responsibilities of parents and the time a parent spends with his or her child in the context of divorce. It was replaced with the terms “parental responsibilities” and “parenting time” in an effort to acknowledg...   Read more ...  

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Asking the Court for an Increase in Child Support

In the years after an Illinois court issues an order on child support, it is quite common for a change to take place. In fact, if your children were young at the time of its entry, you may request a higher amount at some point. Illinois’ statute on modification of child support provides reasons that justify an increase: A substantial change in circumstances, such as your child is spending more time with you than under a previous parenting schedule; or, A discrepancy between what you are recei...   Read more ...  

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