Due to a change in an Illinois law in 2016 regarding child custody, issues regarding children are no longer referred to as child custody disputes, but parental responsibility issues. So what does this mean to you and your children during the divorce process? As opposed to legal custody being determined, it is instead decided by the parents. Not only are issues of where the children will reside are determined, but matters such as education, healthcare, and extracurricular participation are worked out among the parents.
Even with the label being changed, the procedure for these disputes remains fairly consistent and is still driven by what is in the child’s best interest. For more information on parental responsibility laws or if you have any questions call us today at 630-444-0701 or fill out the contact form to the right and one of our associates will get back with you shortly.
Preparation for Parental Responsibility Cases
In preparation for a parental responsibility case, the judge may appoint a temporary guardian to represent your children. This guardian is a specially trained attorney acting as “eyes and ears” of the court. The appointed attorney will reach out and communicate with teachers, doctors, family friends, and others if parenting time or decision making are issues.
As previously mentioned, determining who gets custody of the child/children is based on a legal standard that figures what is in the best interest of the child. Substantial amounts of information are required to assess the best interests of the child. In many instances, the court will rely on a psychologist’s evaluations and to make recommendations about what is in the best interest of the child.
Mediation for Child Custody
Here at Peskind Law Firm, we highly recommend that our clients resolve parenting issues in mediation and to use the court as a last resort. However, if you have to resolve your child custody issues in court, our team will be by your side to protect you and the children’s interests.
If you have any questions about the child custody law changes or would like more information about our services, call us today at 630-444-0701 or fill out the contact form to the right and one of our associates will get back with you shortly.
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