Child Custody Lawyers in Barrington

Legal parenting issues directly affect your rights as a parent, which makes them singularly important legal concerns. Parenting arrangements are not only a term of divorce but also arise outside of divorce, and they are often the focus of post-decree modifications. If you are facing a parenting case, turn to an experienced child custody lawyer in Barrington for the professional legal counsel you need. 

Making Decisions on Behalf of Your Children

A primary responsibility that parents face is making important decisions that affect their children’s lives and futures. In Illinois, this is called parental responsibilities (or what you may think of as legal custody). Parental responsibilities can be either sole or joint, but this can play out in any of the following ways:

• You and your children’s other parent make all the major parenting decisions by consensus. 
• You and your children’s other parent make all the major parenting decisions by consensus, but one of you has the ability to break a tie if it becomes necessary to do so (after your valiant attempts to reach an agreement).
• You and your children’s other parent split this responsibility according to the kind of decision that is being made.
• One of you takes this on as your sole responsibility. 

The kinds of decisions that reach this level include:

• Your children’s schooling
• Your children’s health care 
• Your children’s extracurricular activities and travel
• Your children’s religious upbringing

Those decisions that are more mundane and arise far more frequently are the responsibility of the parent who has the children at the time. Finally, when an emergency arises, whoever can be reached will be required to make all necessary on-the-spot decisions. 

Parenting Time  

In Illinois, physical custody is called parenting time, and this refers to when your shared children are with you and when they are with their other parent. If one of you becomes the primary custodial parent, the children will spend the majority of their overnights with you. Otherwise, you’ll split your time with the kids a bit more evenly. 

Relevant Factors

When the court makes decisions about parenting concerns, it is always guided by the best interests of the involved children. As such, factors like the following play a primary role: 

• Your preferences and your ex’s preferences
• Your children’s preferences (to the degree reasonable and if they are deemed mature enough to express them)
• How well your children have adapted to their current home, school, and community
• The degree to which each of you has participated in raising your children to this point
• Any special needs the children have
• Any additional factors deemed relevant by the court in your situation 

The accomplished child custody lawyers at SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, in Barrington, Illinois, take immense pride in their focused commitment to successfully protecting the parental rights of clients like you. We’re on your side, so please don’t wait to contact us for more information today.