Joliet, IL Child Custody Attorneys

Dedicated Lawyers Helping With Parenting Plans in Joliet, Illinois Family Law Cases

Issues related to children can be some of the most complex and sensitive matters addressed in family law cases. When parents are separating or divorcing, they will often need to make decisions about how the care, upbringing, and living arrangements of their children will be handled going forward. These issues require careful consideration and planning, and assistance from a skilled lawyer can help ensure that all relevant factors will be considered correctly.

At Jordan Steele & Associates, LLC, we work with parents to make sure they understand their rights and their options for resolving concerns related to their children. We strive to help families achieve fair and practical child custody solutions and create parenting plans that will protect children's best interests while preserving the bonds between parents and children. Whether you are involved in a contentious dispute or need to make sure your child custody agreement will meet your family's needs, we are here to help you complete the legal process successfully

Legal Custody and Allocation of Parental Responsibilities

The term "legal custody" is usually used to describe a parent's right to determine how their child will be raised. In Illinois, this aspect of child custody is known as the allocation of parental responsibilities. Parents will need to determine how they will divide or share decision-making authority over significant aspects of their children's lives. The responsibilities that parents may need to address include:

• Educational matters, including deciding where children will go to school and whether they will receive tutoring or other forms of educational assistance
• Healthcare and medical treatment, including the choice of doctors, the types of care children will receive, and the measures that may be necessary to address chronic health conditions
• Religious upbringing, including whether or where children will attend religious services or receive religious training
• Extracurricular activities, including children's participation in sports, music or dance classes, scouting, or other clubs or organizations

In many cases, parents can share legal custody, allowing them both to participate in important decisions. Courts will usually encourage parents to find solutions that will allow them to work together to meet their children's needs. However, there may be some situations where courts award sole legal custody to one parent if that would be necessary to protect the child's best interest, such as in cases where one parent has not been involved in their children's lives in the past or is unwilling to cooperate in decision-making.

Physical Custody and Parenting Time

The physical custody of a child generally refers to where the child will live and when they will spend time with each parent. This form of custody is referred to as parenting time in Illinois. A child custody order will include a schedule detailing when the child will live in each parent's home or spend time with a parent.

Options for parenting time can vary widely depending on the family's circumstances. Children may divide their time equally between each parent's home, or they may live with one parent most of the time and spend time with the other parent on specific days or weekends. A parenting time schedule should account for regular weekdays and weekends during the school year, while also addressing school vacations, holidays, or special days like birthdays.

Our lawyers work with parents to put parenting time arrangements in place that will allow children to maintain meaningful relationships with both parents whenever possible. We help our clients find solutions that will provide stability and consistency for their children.

Parenting Plans

A parenting plan is a written document that outlines the specifics of child custody and parenting time arrangements. Parents will be required to submit a parenting plan during divorce or family law cases involving children. Parents may be able to negotiate an agreed parenting plan, or each parent may submit their own proposed plan and then take steps to resolve any conflicts.

A comprehensive plan will address:

• The allocation of parental responsibilities, providing a clear understanding of how different types of decisions will be made
• The schedules for parenting time, including transportation arrangements and the procedures followed when exchanging children
• How communication between parents will be handled
• Rules for when a parent can contact the children while they are staying with the other parent
• Other rules that parents will be required to follow, such as appropriate forms of discipline
• Guidelines for resolving disputes between parents or requesting modifications to the parenting plan

A good parenting plan will serve as a roadmap for parents, helping to reduce conflicts and providing clarity on how parents can work together to raise their children. Our attorneys work with our clients to negotiate parenting plans that will meet their needs and provide for their children's best interests in the years to come.

Contact Our Joliet, IL Parenting Plan Lawyers

At Jordan Steele & Associates, LLC, our lawyers work closely with our clients to help address and resolve concerns related to their children. We provide compassionate legal support in these matters, working with parents to ensure that they will be able to protect their children's best interests and maintain stability for their families. Contact our Joliet child custody attorneys at 872-314-0080 to arrange a free consultation and discuss how we can assist with your child custody case.