Secure Child Custody in Illinois

In Illinois, the child custody laws outline what happens when parents cannot agree. If parents cannot agree on custody and placement, the court will decide based on the child's best interests. There are many factors that contribute to the child's best interest.

Illinois does not assume that parents will have joint custody. They assess the situation, and parents only get joint custody when it is best for the child. One example of when joint custody is not best for the child is when one parent committed child abuse or domestic violence.

The most common child custody arrangement is joint custody. This is when both parents are responsible for making major decisions in the child’s life. As for placement, there are many different schedules. The best placement schedule depends on the schedules of everyone involved.

The three types of custody are joint custody, sole custody, and split custody. Joint custody means the parents share custody. Sole custody means one parent makes the decisions. Split custody is when different parents are responsible for different children.

Illinois is neither a mother nor a father state. Illinois is a “best interests state”. This means they will give one parent more time with or responsibility for a child only if it is in the child’s best interest to do so.

A father has as many rights as a mother does. As long as the father has established paternity, they can ask for custody and placement of the child. Especially when the father can prove they have been a part of the child’s life, they should be able to continue to be.

When parents separate, they both still have custody of the child. Parties will file with the courts, and once the case starts, they get temporary custody orders.