Parental Responsibility

The New “Custody” Law in Illinois

Beginning in 2016, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act underwent sweeping changes. One of the most contentious areas in any divorce or parentage case, was the custody of the children. Custody related to the major decisions to be made for the parties’ children. There were 4 major areas as it related to custody: religion, medical, school and extracurricular activities. In a nutshell, if parents communicated effectively and it was in the children’s best interests, then they could share “joint custody” of their children. If the parents did not communicate effectively, then one parent would be awarded “sole custody” of the children.

Parental Responsibility

Illinois’ new law, which is found at 750 ILCS 5/600 et seq., now refers to the term “custody” as “parental responsibility.” As with the term “custody”, parental responsibility deals with the major decisions parents must make for their children. Under the new statute, judges are still required to award decision making responsibilities to one or both parents based on what’s in the children’s best interests. As with the former law, under the new law, there is no requirement that both parents be awarded the right to make major decisions. In other words, one parent can be allocated sole decision-making responsibilities.

Areas Covered

The major, or significant, decisions include, but are not limited to:

  • Education (including where the kids go to school and if they need tutors);
  • Health care (this includes medical, dental and psychological issues);
  • Religion (the court shall consider, among other factors, evidence of the parent’s previous religious training for their children); and
  • Extracurricular activities.

In today’s world, parents are allocated either “sole parental responsibilities” or “joint parental responsibilities.” Parents, or the judge, can decide that the major decisions should be divided between the parties. Maybe mom makes the health care decisions and dad makes the extracurricular activities decisions and the other areas are made jointly between mom and dad. If the parents are not able to agree on how to allocate the different responsibilities, then the court will make that determination.

Far too often, in hotly contested divorce cases, the parents are not able to agree on the financial aspects of their case. They fight over money, property and debt. This acrimony, however, should not stand in the way of the parents sharing parental responsibilities. Parents who are going through a divorce will find this period of time the most difficult to cooperate with each other. Emotions are running high and they might not be thinking clearly. Once they are divorced, however, and things have settled down, the parents can then usually set aside their differences and focus on what is in the best interests of their children. It is always best, if the parents are willing, in the early stages of a divorce or parentage case, to try and steer them towards sharing parental responsibilities. If mom and dad are able to communicate effectively and it’s in the best interests of the children, then having 2 involved parents is best for the kids.

Have Questions or Concerns Regarding the New Law?

If you are going through a divorce or parentage case and you need some guidance with the new law, call Taradash Given, P.C. We have the knowledge and experience to confidently guide you through the new law and what it means for you and your children. To learn more about the new law, call us at (312) 775-1020 or click here to schedule a free consultation today.

Not Happy With Your Attorney?

It happens every day. Clients going through a divorce, or any family law matter, change lawyers during their case. It’s simply a fact of life. Sometimes the lawyer just doesn’t get the intricacies of divorce court or, perhaps, the client and the lawyer just don’t get along.

Frequently Asked Questions

When going through a divorce, most people don’t know what to expect. From the length of the divorce to the cost and everything in between, there are many unknowns. Relax. This is why it is important to have a seasoned Chicago divorce lawyer representing you.

Client Reviews

Excellent lawyer and a good human being - He was fast, he was empathetic, he was sure about what he was doing, got me my divorce very quickly while I was stuck with another lawyer for 6 months. Very courteous and doesn't try to bluff you.

Sid

Dean helped me through one of the worst times of my life. I married my best friend and we had three kids together. After things began to turn for the worst she sought a divorce and began threatening to withhold my children from me. She then kicked me out of our home. This became a nasty divorce and...

Peter

In addition to knowing his stuff, Dean was very supportive during a process that was emotionally difficult. He listened and helped me every step of the way in the divorce process. Dean was very responsive and everything was handled very professionally. Highly recommend.

Angi M.

By far this is the best experience I’ve had! They were considerate of my feelings and misfortune due to my injuries! They always got back to me on the progress of my claim! I would recommend them highly if your looking for a good legal team! Thank you Steve for all your hard work and what you did...

Kimberly W.

I want to express my appreciation for the exceptional work done by Morgan at Taradash Given P.C. She worked day and night negotiating with my former spouse and was a true advocate. Her commitment and dedication to my case did not go unnoticed and I am very grateful for her efforts. Additionally...

Ashley M.

Contact Us

  1. 1 Free Consultation
  2. 2 20 Years of Experience
  3. 3 100% Commited to Clients
Fill out the contact form or call us at (312) 775-1020 to schedule your free consultation.

Leave Us a Message