Child Custody

From Hyde Park to Beverly, classes are ending, which means that the predictable structure of the school calendar is fading into the fluid logistics of summer. For separated parents navigating an Illinois parenting plan, the summer months bring a unique set of...

The new year is a natural time to set goals and start fresh. Co-parenting is no exception. If you share parenting responsibilities, now is a chance to think about ways to improve communication, create consistency for your children and make the year smoother for...

Vindictive behavior on the part of a co-parent can make an already challenging situation even harder than it already is. When one parent uses custody arrangements, visitation schedules or communication as a way to punish the other, it can create unnecessary conflict...

Custody arrangements are not always permanent. In Illinois, the family courts understand that family circumstances can change. A parent may need to request a change in parenting time or decision-making responsibilities. However, there are specific rules about when and...

Divorcing parents may have the option to create a child custody arrangement without going to court. However, if parents disagree about the custody arrangement, a judge may create a custody order. A custody order can define the child custody rights and obligations of...

The days when children have to move from one parent’s house to the other parent’s house can be an emotionally challenging time for them. They’re experiencing conflicting emotions because they know they’ll have to leave one parent, but they’re also happy they get to...

Changing social values have had a major impact on families across the United States and in Illinois. Children born outside of marriage once faced significant social stigma, but such scenarios have become quite common in recent decades. The stigma has all but...

Being a parent is not easy under the best of circumstances. When Illinois parents decide to divorce, the job takes on new dimensions. Staying connected to the children is just one of the hurdles they need to account for when working out a child custody agreement. For...

Like couples in other parts of the country, many here in Illinois cannot simply turn off their feelings for each other once a judge signs the divorce decree legally ending their marriage. Even so, if they are parents, they need to find a way forward for the sake of...