Child Custody Lawyers in Chicago

The state of Illinois no longer recognizes “custody” between parents, and instead uses the term “allocation of parental responsibilities.” The court will enter an allocation judgment that determines who makes major decisions on behalf of the child, specifically in the areas of education, health, religion, and extracurricular activities. These decisions can be made solely by one parent, or jointly by both parents, and the designation can be different for each area. Sole allocation allows only one parent to make these important decisions for the child while joint allocation assures that these decisions are made by both parents jointly. Some of these decisions can be specified in the allocation judgment, such as what school a child will attend and what religion the child will practice. Allocation of parental responsibilities is a distinct issue from visitation or a parenting time schedule, and both are separate components of the allocation judgment.

If parents are not in agreement on how these decisions will be made, the court determines what is in the child’s best interests. The child’s best interests are determined by looking at many factors, including:

Cases involving children are often complicated and very emotional, and each set of circumstances is unique. The attorneys at Abramovitch Blalock & McKinnon can ensure your parental rights are protected through providing compassion, advice, and guidance, as well as assertive advocacy in court.