Child Custody Agreements
The end of a marriage can be stressful for everyone involved, and parents will want to do everything they can to make divorce easier on their children. By working to address child custody issues early in the divorce process, parents can ensure that their children’s needs are met and establish a positive family situation post-divorce.
The family law attorneys of Laraia & Whitty, P.C. know the importance of the relationships between parents and children, and we work to create positive parenting agreements that protect children’s best interests. Whether you are in agreement with your ex-spouse about what is best for your children or need to fight for your parental rights through litigation in court, we can provide you with the strong representation you need.
Allocation Of Parental Responsibilities
Illinois law refers to child custody as the “allocation of parental responsibilities,” and it defines four areas of decision-making responsibility that can be either shared jointly between parents or allocated solely to one parent:
- Healthcare – Decisions regarding a child’s medical care, including the choice of doctors, dentists, eye doctors, or specialists and decisions about any treatments they receive.
- Education – Choices about where a child will attend school and whether they will require any tutors or be involved in any additional educational programs.
- Religion – The choice of where a child will attend church or receive any religious education.
- Extracurricular activities – Authority to decide whether a child will be involved in any sports, clubs, musical lessons, or other programs or activities.
While each situation is unique, the primary concern in every case should be what is in children’s best interests. Parents are encouraged to work together to reach an agreement about how to allocate parental responsibility, but there are many cases in which parents cannot agree, and decisions are left up to the court. In these cases, a judge will weigh a variety of factors when determining what is in children’s best interests, including the wishes of the parents and children, the physical and mental health of all parties involved, the previous roles parents played in making decisions for their children, and parents’ ability and willingness to cooperate with each other in raising their children.
Our attorneys can offer supportive legal guidance when creating a parenting plan, and we will advocate for your parental rights and work with you to craft a solution that meets your family’s unique needs. If necessary, we can arrange for child custody evaluators or other experts to assess your situation and make recommendations to the court about what would be in children’s best interests.
Contact A Wheaton Family Law Attorney
At Laraia & Whitty, P.C., we understand the importance of your relationship with your children, and we will provide the aggressive representation you need throughout the divorce process, fighting to protect this relationship and ensure that you have the framework in place to provide for your children’s needs after your divorce. To get dedicated legal help with your child custody case, contact us at 630-228-9984 and set up your free initial consultation. From our office in Wheaton, we assist parents in Winfield, Warrenville, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, and throughout DuPage County, Will County, Cook County, Kendall County and Kane County.