What is a Restriction of Parental Responsibilities?

If you are getting divorced and have minor children from your marriage, you may know that the court no longer awards child custody to the parents, but instead allocates parental responsibilities. The term parental responsibilities includes both important decision-making responsibilities (what many Chicago residents knew previously as “legal custody”) and parenting time (what we used to call “physical custody” and “visitation”). Generally speaking, courts want to allow both parents to play an important role in the life of their child,[...]

Am I Allowed to Move With My Child After My Divorce is Finalized?

Many people who get divorced in Cook County want to get a fresh start once their divorce is finalized. For anyone who has recently gotten divorced and did not have minor children from the marriage, there is no reason to avoid looking for jobs in a new place and moving into a new home or apartment in a new city or even in a new state. However, the prospect of moving and getting a fresh start after a divorce becomes[...]

Renewed Efforts in Illinois Toward Equal Parenting Time

Under Part VI of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA), courts presume that parents in Chicago who get divorced should both play a role in their child’s life unless there is a clear reason that one of the parents should be excluded. For example, in cases in which one parent has been convicted of a violent crime or has been tied to acts of family violence or child abuse, the court might determine that it is not[...]

Relocation Mid-School Year After a Divorce

If you are thinking about filing for divorce at the start of the New Year, if you plan to separate from your spouse, or if you have recently accepted a new job, you have likely been thinking about the potential impact that moving will have on your child. When you are divorced, moving mid-year with a teenager can present significant challenges. Those challenges can be legal ones—concerning Illinois law on relocation—as well as psychological or emotional challenges associated with a[...]

Recent Study Addresses Shared Parenting After Divorce

For many parents who have recently gotten divorced or are thinking about filing for divorce in the New Year, the prospect of shared parenting can produce anxiety and frustration. While some parents get along with one another throughout the divorce proceedings and continue to work together amicably afterward, this is not always the case. For many Chicago residents, it can be difficult to even imagine reaching a compromise with your ex-spouse about anything, especially an issue concerning the children. For[...]