Divorce and Family Law
Custody & Parental Responsibilities
At Bruning & Associates, P.C., our team is prepared to help you navigate the important matters parents encounter with the divorce process. We can explain the laws that apply to your case, so please contact us today to set up a no-cost consultation. An Illinois custody and parental responsibilities attorney will advise you on making informed decisions, and an overview of the relevant concepts is also useful.
Custody & Parental Responsibilities
In the confusing world of custody disputes, the skilled divorce lawyers at Bruning & Associates, P.C. will help you protect your rights as a parent. Our divorce lawyers will develop and prosecute the best strategy for maximizing your right to make decisions related to custody, parental responsibilities, and the best interests of your children.
We can also help you understand how determinations on custody affect other issues related to minor children in divorce. For instance:
- Illinois laws prefer a co-parenting arrangement for allocation of parental responsibilities, but the child might reside with one parent for school and practical purposes. The other parent will have the right to exercise visitation, also referred to as parenting time.
- When the child primarily resides with one parent, the non-residential parent will usually be required to pay child support. The details depend on the income shares model, the visitation schedules, and statutory guidelines for child support obligations.
Temporary Custody & Parental Responsibilities
- Education;
- Religion;
- Health care; and,
- Extracurricular activities.
The divorce attorneys at Bruning & Associates, P.C. work diligently to complete your divorce case as quickly as possible. However, some divorce cases take longer to resolve, and many cases involve a request by one of the spouses for temporary custody or parental responsibilities of the children. The skilled divorce lawyers at Bruning & Associates, P.C. have substantial education, training, experience, and expertise with respect to temporary custody and parental responsibilities proceedings in the divorce court.
Petitions for Relocation (moving with a child out of state)
Bruning & Associates, P.C. has offices conveniently located near you in Chicago, Schaumburg and Crystal Lake, Illinois. Please contact Bruning & Associates, P.C. to schedule your free consultation regarding your divorce case and issues regarding custody and parental responsibilities, Temporary custody and parental responsibilities and petitions for relocation.
Options for Resolving Custody & Parental Responsibilities
Illinois law encourages parents to compromise on custody and parental responsibilities, especially since co-parenting is preferred. If you can agree on how to handle the allocation of parental decision-making and visitation, the judge will first review it to ensure the arrangement complies with the child’s best interests.
Mediation
Even when you think an agreement on child custody is not feasible, participating in the mediation process often gets parents closer together. During the proceedings, a trained mediator will consult with parents separately and together to assess disputes. These mediation professionals are skilled in facilitating productive conversations between parents, guiding them toward a mutual understanding of how to raise the child.
Child Custody Litigation
In cases where parents are unable to agree on custody and parental responsibilities, the matter will go before the judge for a decision. The court is required to apply the child’s best interest standard, and relevant factors include:
- The child’s relationship with each parent
- The physical and emotional needs of the child
- How the parents can support the child and each other with respect to custody
- The child’s adjustments to the home, school, and community
- The impact of the child’s relationships with siblings and other influential individuals
- Many others
Guardianship
Our Illinois Custody & Parental Responsibilities Lawyers Can Explain Details
Bruning & Associates P.C. has offices conveniently located near you in Chicago, Schaumburg, and Crystal Lake, Illinois. Please contact the Chicago, Schaumburg, or Crystal Lake offices of Bruning & Associates, P.C. to schedule your free guardianship consultation.
Serving clients with matters regarding custody and parenting responsibilities in McHenry County including but not limited to Algonquin, Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, McHenry & Woodstock. We also represent clients throughout Northern Illinois including Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, McHenry County, Lake County, Will County, Boone County, DeKalb County, Kendall County, LaSalle County, and Winnebago County.
