Child Custody Lawyer in Peoria

As times have changed, so to has the Illinois family-court system regarding what is known as “child custody.” Illinois no longer uses the term “custody” when referring to the legal rights and responsibilities of parents. Courts now put the focus on “parental responsibility” which includes “significant decision making” and “parenting time”.

Child Custody Protection: Expert Legal Guidance

Judges are concerned with the “best interests of the child” when allocating parenting time and making decisions. Whether you and your spouse work together amicably or the decision ultimately rests with a family court judge, it is crucial that you have the help of a child custody lawyer in Peoria to ensure your relationship with your child is protected now and into the future.

Peoria Attorney for Child Custody and Parenting Time Issues

The attorneys at Hanauer Law have helped parents successfully navigate this extremely important aspect of a divorce or other child-related matter. Determining parenting time doesn’t conveniently fit into some sort of formula. You need an attorney who really takes the time to get to know you so he or she can effectively communicate your specific values as a parent.

That is exactly the philosophy we employ to get results for our clients. Our founder, Rob Hanauer, knows family law inside and out.

Additionally, he knows how important it is to make a real connection with someone who comes to him for help. Luckily, this is something that comes naturally to Rob and is a talent shared by every member of our like-minded legal team. But make no mistake, if litigation is necessary, we know how to make an impact. We handle family law cases involving:

See What We Can Do for Your Child Custody Case

Contact an experienced child custody attorney in Peoria now to schedule a free consultation to discuss your child custody and parenting time case.

Robert Hanauer and other lawyers at Hanauer Law.

How Is Parenting Time Allocated?

Whether two parents are unmarried and separating or married and divorcing, there are two basic paths for creating a legally-binding parenting plan:

Mediation through a qualified mediator
Intervention by a judge in family court

Ideally, the parents work together to create a workable parenting plan by agreement. Parenting time can be shared by both parents and is an outline of when the child is physically with, or living with, each parent. Parenting time may be shared between both parents; this is called “shared parenting time”. Shared parenting time does not need to be exactly 50/50. It can be anywhere from 40% to 60% of the overnight parenting time periods in a given year. Parenting time may also be allocated primarily to one parent.

Likewise, decision-making can be shared by both parents regardless of how much physical care time each parent is allocated. Decision-making responsibilities include significant decisions concerning the child’s activities, education, medical care, etc. These are not day-to-day decisions, but decisions that may affect the child for months, or even years, to come.

How the Courts Determine Parenting Time

A judge will intervene in creating a parenting plan if the parents cannot come to an agreement on parenting time. If a Court decides any aspect of a parenting plan, the Court will look at what is the best schedule for the child. This may mean that the child is with one parent for more days of the week than the other. Usually, the most important factors are:

What schedule are you doing at the time you get divorced
Where each parent is living
Which parent has been the “primary caretaker” providing the most physical care of the child
The wishes of the child based on their age, maturity, and reasoning for their wishes
The ability of each parent to foster the child’s relationship with the other parent
Other important factors (i.e. concerns about alcohol or drug use or domestic violence that could put the child at risk)

You should know that Illinois does not have a set age where a child is allowed to “pick where they live”. This is a complete myth. If a mature child can give a reasoned opinion on why they prefer to spend more time with one parent than another, a Court may consider the child’s opinion. But a child should never be pressured to take a parent’s side in these disputes.

Protect Your Relationship with Your Child with the Help of a Dedicated Child Custody Lawyer Now

A child custody attorney with Hanauer Law has helped parents like you retain a strong relationship with their children. Contact us now to discuss your case.