Are you thinking about filing for divorce, and do you share children with your spouse? You may have heard about the terms “parental responsibilities” and “parenting time.” A couple of years ago, Illinois changed the way it handles child custody. Rather than awarding legal custody and physical custody to one or both parents, the courts now allocate parental responsibilities. How does parenting time fit in? Parenting time essentially refers to what we used to describe as physical custody – the time a child spends with the parent during which the parent exercises caretaking functions for the child and also makes non-significant decisions about the child’s upbringing and care.
Parenting time either can be allocated by the court, or the parents can allocate it themselves through a parenting plan. To learn more about developing a parenting plan or having an advocate on your side in court during a contentious child custody case, you should speak with a Chicago parenting time attorney at Arami Law.
Under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5/600 et seq.), parenting time can be allocated through a written parenting plan. In other words, if parents can agree to a parenting time schedule and the court approves it, this can become the legal document that guides parenting time. Many divorcing spouses want to create a parenting plan that includes a parenting time schedule because it allows them to play a role in the process. However, if parents cannot come to a written agreement, the court will allocate parental responsibilities, and that includes a parenting time schedule.
What goes into a parenting time schedule? Typically a Chicago parenting time schedule will need to include the following information:
Creating a parenting time schedule can be daunting, but an experienced Chicago parenting time attorney can help with your family’s case. Contact Arami Law to learn more about how we assist families with parenting time issues in Chicago and across Cook County, Illinois.
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