Why Hiring an Experienced Child Custody Attorney is Essential

Finding a good Child Custody Lawyers in Chicago Illinois is crucial to helping you get through the divorce process. Whether you are just starting to think about divorce or your marriage is over, there is a lot to take into consideration including child custody, property division and financial support. You need an experienced family law attorney who can guide you through the process. Start by identifying reputable law firms and individual attorneys who have extensive experience handling divorces in Cook County and positive client reviews. Then schedule initial consultations to meet with several candidates and learn more about their approach and communication style.

During a divorce, children are often the most contentious issue. Parental decisions influence where a child will live, what kind of environment they will grow up in and the activities they participate in. These decisions are also likely to have long-term effects on a child’s well-being. Because of the high stakes involved, child custody is often one of the most contested issues in divorce proceedings. A seasoned Chicago child custody lawyer will understand the complex issues that are involved and advocate for arrangements that serve your child’s best interests.

There are two types of custody that a court can award: legal and physical. Legal custody determines which parent will have the right to make significant decisions on a child’s behalf, such as education, religious upbringing, and medical care. Physical custody determines which parent a child will live with and how much time each parent will spend with the children. Until 2016, courts decided these matters by considering various factors such as the preference of the parents, any marital misconduct and a number of other criteria. However, new laws passed in 2016 changed the way these cases are decided by shifting toward a “time sharing” model that favors shared parenting.

A good Chicago child custody attorney can help you understand the new law and how it may affect your case. They will also help you understand the different factors that a judge considers when making a custody decision, as well as how to work with your spouse to find solutions that are in everyone’s best interests.

The other important aspect of a child custody case is the determination of child support. In Illinois, child support is determined using a guideline that takes into account the parents’ income and the amount of time each parent spends with their children. However, judges have the discretion to deviate from the guideline if they believe that it would be in the best interest of the child. A Chicago family lawyer will have a deep understanding of the child support guidelines and how they apply to your unique situation to ensure that any payments are fair and that a proper amount of child support is being paid. Child support obligations typically continue until the child is out of high school or reaches age 19, whichever comes first.