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Child Custody Lawyers in Joliet

Child Custody Lawyers in Joliet

Divorce poses many challenges, but one of the most emotionally charged of all these challenges is deciding on child custody arrangements. If you are facing a divorce, your first concern is naturally your children’s ongoing well-being and happiness, and this is directly related to your child custody arrangement. Issues related to child custody are far too important to leave to chance, so you should always work closely with an experienced Joliet child custody lawyer. 

Reaching an Agreement

If you and your divorcing spouse can agree on your child custody arrangement, it is often in everyone’s best interests. Your respective child custody attorneys can help you negotiate, and if you cannot find mutually acceptable terms, mediation can often help you find a middle ground. If you are able to agree, the court will approve the agreement as long as it is in the best interests of the child. If you and your child’s other parent ultimately cannot agree, the court will need to decide the matter for you. While the court always bases its decisions on the children’s best interests, the judge simply does not and cannot know your children as well as you do. 

Child Custody in Illinois

Illinois recently revised the way it addresses child custody. Instead of referring to legal custody, Illinois refers to the allocation of parental responsibilities. This relates to who makes important decisions on behalf of the child, including decisions that relate to:

  • The child’s education
  • The child’s religious upbringing
  • The child’s medical care

Many parents share these responsibilities as long as they are able to cooperate and abide by their parenting plan. If one parent is the primary custodial parent, they may have more decision-making responsibilities. 

Illinois has also updated the terminology from physical custody and visitation to parenting time. The court should weigh many factors when deciding how to divide parenting time, including whether one parent was previously the primary caretaker. 

The Court’s Involvement

When the court determines child custody arrangements, it always prioritizes the children’s best interests and can also consider the child’s status quo. When making custody determinations, the court takes a wide variety of circumstances into consideration, including:

  • Each parent’s ability to care for the children
  • Each parent’s wishes regarding child custody
  • Each parent’s physical and emotional health
  • The physical and emotional health of the children (including any special needs)
  • Any history of abuse in the marriage
  • Your shared ability to cooperate with one another regarding raising the children
  • Each parent’s capacity to help the children maintain a close, healthy relationship with the other parent
  • Any additional circumstances the court deems important and relevant

An Experienced Child Custody Lawyer in Joliet Can Help with Your Child Custody Concerns

If you are facing child custody issues, you need the professional legal counsel of an experienced Joliet child custody attorney on your side The dedicated legal team at Sabuco Beck in Joliet are here to help. Our experienced child custody lawyers have the skill, knowledge, and compassion to help ensure that your child custody arrangements protect your children’s best interests. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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