Changes Proposed for Illinois Parenting Time Guidelines

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Parenting Time

One of the biggest stressors that many divorcing couples have during -- and after -- their divorce is the children. Many parents worry that a divorce will put too much of a strain on their children, while other parents worry about having enough time with their children. While it is true that a divorce can be difficult for the entire family, children can be more flexible and adaptable than adults. It is generally understood that children do best after a divorce when both of their parents are present and active in their lives. While this is true, many divorced families find that they do not come out of the divorce with the parenting plan they wanted. A new bill, called the “Equal Parenting Time” bill was introduced in Illinois recently, which aims to make it so that more parents have equal parenting time with their children after an Illinois divorce. Current Parenting Time Guidelines

Under the current section in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, parenting time is determined by first encouraging parents to try to come to an agreement on a parenting plan. If both parents do not submit a mutually-agreeable plan to the court, then the court allocates parenting time in accordance with the child’s best interests. When making this decision, the judge looks at a number of factors including, but not limited to:

• The wishes of each parent;
• The wishes of the child;
• The amount of time each parent has performed caretaking functions for the child in the past two years;
• The mental and physical health of both the parents and the child;
• The needs of the child;
• The willingness of each parent to facilitate a relationship between the child and the other parent; and
• The willingness and ability of each parent to put the child’s needs before their own needs.

Proposed Changes to Guidelines The proposed bill would change a few things about the allocation of parenting time in Illinois. There would be added language which states that, “it is in the child’s best interests to award equal time to each parent.” This means that both parents will be presumed to be fit parents. The court will begin with the presumption that each parent is awarded equal parenting time and then reduce or add time as needed upon findings that conflict with the child’s best interest. Contact a Skilled DuPage County Parenting Time Attorney

Going through a divorce can be difficult. You may feel like you are not in control of your divorce, but with help from an Aurora, IL parenting time lawyer, you can be certain you are getting reliable help. At the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C., we can help you and your soon-to-be ex spouse try to settle on an agreeable parenting plan. If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement on a plan, we can take other measures to ensure you receive the parenting time you need. Call our office today at 630-409-8184 to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

https://newschannel20.com/news/local/equal-parenting-time-bill-proposed-by-illinois-lawmaker

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=185&GAID=15&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=114046&SessionID=108&GA=101

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=108&GA=101&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=185&GAID=15&LegID=114046&SpecSess=&Session=