Family Law Attorney Mt. Prospect

Family law naturally addresses legal matters that affect families, and it is a broad, important arm of the law. If you are facing a family law concern, addressing it sooner rather than later is in your best interest, and having an experienced family law attorney in Mt. Prospect on your side is well advised. 

Family Law

Family law encompasses many important matters, and some of the most common include:

• Divorce (both contested and uncontested)
• Alimony (called spousal maintenance in Illinois)
• Child custody and parenting time, including both mother’s and father’s rights, parental choices, relocating for career purposes, child support, and contempt of court and legal remedies 
• Mediation for family law issues
• Paternity
• Post-divorce modifications
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements

If it’s a matter that’s important to your family, it’s probably a matter for family law. 

Child Custody Concerns

Family law issues commonly focus on matters that relate to child custody. The State of Illinois no longer addresses legal and physical custody, but the results remain the same. Illinois uses the term decision-making responsibilities for legal custody, and this relates to who will be making important life decisions on behalf of the children moving forward, including decisions about:

• The children’s educations
• The children’s religious upbringing
• The children’s medical treatment and care
• The children’s extracurricular activities

You and your children’s other parent can share this decision-making responsibility jointly, one of you may be awarded sole responsibility, or this responsibility may be apportioned between you according to the kinds of decisions being made.  

Physical custody and visitation are referred to as the parenting time schedule, and it relates to how the children will divide their time between both parents. There are plenty of options within this arena. For instance, one of you may become the primary custodial parent with whom your children reside the majority of the time, while the other parent has what amounts to a visitation schedule. Alternatively, you may split your time equally down the middle according to whatever schedule you and your ex prefer and agree to. If the matter ends up going before a judge, he or she will likely choose from the variety of standard parenting time schedules available.   

Modifications

Modifications to prior divorce terms are another common matter addressed by family law. Those terms that served your family’s needs when your divorce was first finalized may no longer work for you – or may no longer even make sense within the context of your evolving lives. As children mature, for instance, parents frequently need to address modifications related to parenting time schedules. Even if you and your children’s other parent agree to the change you’re preparing to effect, it’s in everyone’s best interest to make it official with the court. 

Reach out to an Experienced Family Law Attorney in Mt. Prospect Today

The compassionate family law attorneys at the SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, in Mt. Prospect understand exactly how difficult family law matters can be and are well equipped to help. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.