Will County Child Custody Lawyer

Attorneys for Allocation of Parental Responsibilities in DuPage County

If you and your spouse have chosen to get a divorce, you will need to resolve a wide variety of issues before your marriage can be legally dissolved. While most people think in terms of "custody" when it comes to children, the Illinois legislature has eliminated this term from the statute, and instead uses the term "allocation of parental responsibility and parenting time." Child-related issues are some of the most important of these matters, since they will define the role that you will play in your children's lives going forward. When determining how to establish a parenting agreement, you need a divorce lawyer on your side who can advocate for your rights and protect your children's best interests.

At the Law Office of Ronald L. Hendrix, P.C., our attorneys have more than 35 combined years of experience, and we believe in providing our clients with compassionate, dedicated representation. We are prepared to work with you and help you reach an agreement that will allow you to maintain a positive co-parenting relationship with your ex-spouse, ensuring that the two of you can be the parents your children need. While we believe that reaching a compromise through methods of alternative dispute resolution is often the best path in these cases, we are prepared to advocate for you in divorce litigation, if necessary.

What Is Allocation of Parental Responsibilities?

The terms "child custody" or "legal custody" are commonly used to refer to a parent's right to make decisions about how his or her children will be raised. However, Illinois law no longer uses these terms. Instead, these parental rights are referred to as the "allocation of parental responsibilities." There are generally four types of responsibilities that may be allocated between parents, and each area of responsibility may be shared equally or granted solely to one parent. These are:

1. Education: The right to decide where children will go to school, whether they will receive tutoring or additional education, and any other related decisions.
2. Healthcare: The right to decide what types of medical care or mental health care children will receive, including choosing their doctors, dentists, opticians, orthodontists, or psychologists.
3. Religion: The right to decide whether and where children will attend church, temple, or other religious services, as well as any religious education they will receive.
4. Extracurricular activities: The right to enroll children in non-educational activities, such as sports, music or dance lessons, scouting, or clubs.

During the divorce process, a parenting plan will be drafted that describes how decision-making responsibilities will be allocated, and it will be included in the couple's divorce decree at the conclusion of their case. Parents may work together using negotiation, mediation, or collaborative law to create an agreed parenting plan, or they may each submit their own proposed parenting plan and ask the judge in their case to make decisions about how parental responsibilities should be allocated. In these cases, a judge will consider a variety of factors to determine what would be in children's best interests, including the wishes of the parents and children, the parents' ability to cooperate with each other and put children's needs ahead of their own, the parents' level of involvement in making decisions for children in the past, and any past instances of abuse, violence, or other concerns that might necessitate restrictions on parental responsibility.

Contact Our Naperville Child Custody Attorneys

When resolving child-related issues during your divorce, you need an attorney who can help you understand how the law applies to your situation and ensure that you can continue making decisions about how your children will be raised. Our skilled divorce lawyers will provide the dedicated representation you need, helping you resolve disagreements with your ex-spouse and working to protect your children's best interests at all times. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today at 630-355-7776 or 815-722-7050 to arrange your free initial consultation. We assist with child custody cases throughout DuPage County, Kendall County, Kane County, and Will County, including Naperville, Plainfield, and Bolingbrook.