Kane County Allocation of Parental Responsibilities Lawyer

Child Custody Attorney in Aurora and St. Charles

If you are a parent who is in the midst of a divorce, you are probably concerned about how your children will be affected. If you are an unmarried parent, you are likely to have concerns about your children's future as well. You undoubtedly want the best for your children, but you should take steps to ensure that your rights are protected as well. Understandably, your children mean everything to you, and you would probably do almost anything to help them.

I am Attorney Matthew M. Williams of the The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. For over 15 years, I have been providing trusted guidance and skilled representation for divorcing parents in Kane County, Kendall County, DuPage County, and throughout Northern Illinois. I realize that children tend to fare best in the wake of a divorce when both parents remain actively involved in the children's lives. With that in mind, I work hard to facilitate the creation of parenting arrangements designed to give your children what they need while serving your best interests as a parent.

Allocating Parental Responsibilities in Yorkville and Oswego

Several years ago, sweeping reforms to Illinois family law statutes amended the state's approach to child custody—now called the "allocation of parental responsibilities." The change was intended to reduce the competitive nature of custody disputes that often turned into bitter battles between divorcing parents. Under the updated approach, each parent may be allocated a share or portion of parental responsibilities instead of "winning" custody or "losing" it.

There are two basic categories of parental responsibilities under Illinois law. The first is the authority to make important decisions about the child's life, and the second is each parent's parenting time. Important decision-making authority pertains to how each parent will participate in making significant choices regarding the child, such as those related to education, medical care, religious upbringing, and extracurricular activities.

Formerly called visitation, parenting time refers to the time that each parent spends with their child. Under the law in Illinois, both legal parents have the right to reasonable parenting time, unless the parent is found to present a danger to the child. The law is not precise on what constitutes "reasonable parenting time" which means that parents have the freedom to develop parenting time schedules that meet their unique needs. The law does presume, however, that each parent wishes to maximize his or her involvement in the child's life.

Kendall County Counsel for Sole and Joint Parenting Arrangements

During the transition from "child custody" to the "allocation of parental responsibilities," the terms "joint custody" and "sole custody" were formally eliminated. However, it is possible for sole authority for important decision-making to be granted to just one parent or to have both parents share that authority. Significant decision-making responsibilities can be divided in a variety of ways.

For example, a couple—or the court—could give the final say on all important decisions to one parent but the other parent must be a part of the decision-making process. One parent could be permitted to make all decisions without having to discuss them with the other parent. Each parent could also be assigned decision-making authority for different areas of the child's life. For example, a parent who is a registered nurse could be well-equipped to make health-related decisions while a parent who is an educator might handle education-related choices.

Call 630-409-8184 Today

For more information about child custody or the allocation of parental responsibilities in Illinois, contact my office. Call the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. at 630-409-8184 to schedule a confidential consultation today. I represent individuals and families in Aurora, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Sugar Grove, Yorkville, Oswego, Wheaton, Naperville, Kane County, DuPage County, Kendall County, and the surrounding areas.