Knowing the difference between legal and physical custody can help parents understand the options that may be the best fit for their family. Custody decisions should be determined with the best interests of the child(ren) in mind. What Does Legal Custody Mean? There are many major decisions that go into raising a child. Where a child will go to school, what religion will be followed, whether the child can participate in a contact sport or if non-emergency medical treatment is needed are … [Read more...]

Fathers may be obligated to pay child support even when children are not biologically theirs. It may be possible to challenge paternity when a DNA test shows someone else is the father. The man has limited time to refute paternity. Otherwise, he could remain obligated to support the child. Establishing Paternity in Illinois According to Illinois law, if a woman gives birth to a baby and was married or in a civil union at the time of birth or within 300 days of the birth, the man in the … [Read more...]

Co-parenting across state lines requires the cooperation of both parents and a visitation schedule that the court will agree with. When parents cannot agree on an amicable schedule that takes the best interests of the child(ren) into consideration, a family law attorney may be needed to take the matter to court. An Even Playing Field Each state has its own laws regarding custody and visitation. This can make it difficult when parents need to go to court to address custody, placement or … [Read more...]

False allegations of child abuse in a custody case are emotionally damaging to the accused parent as well as the child(ren) involved. Accusations could lead to police investigations, loss of custody, orders of protection or temporary restraining orders until they are proven false. Unfortunately, by the time allegations are disproved, long-term damage may have already been done to the child(ren)’s relationship with the accused parent. Why Would a Parent Make a False Abuse Allegation? In a … [Read more...]

When one parent refuses to or is incapable of co-parenting with the other parent, it could be grounds for sole custody. Both parents are expected to communicate and cooperate with each other to make decisions for their child without allowing their personal conflicts with one another get in the way. What is Sole Custody? With joint custody, both parents are supposed to jointly make major decisions for their children. This generally includes decisions regarding their children’s education, … [Read more...]