Chicago Sole Custody Lawyers
A divorce can be one of the most traumatic events in a person’s life, but you don’t have to be a victim. An already emotionally charged situation is heightened extensively when there are children involved, and help is available. Parents who are getting a divorce must consider the welfare of their child and how to best go about custody arrangements. It is highly recommended that divorcing couples who are in custody disputes seek legal counsel from a Chicago child custody attorney. If no agreement can be reached between parents, the court may step in and award custody based on the best interests of the child. To ensure that the specifics of your argument in regards to child custody are accurately and effectively presented to the court, you need the family law attorneys at Nottage and Ward.
There are a few different results that could occur from a custody proceeding. In most cases, Illinois courts prefer to award joint custody to parents so that, while the parents may no longer have a marital bond with each other, each parent may still build a bond with their child or children. However, in other cases, sole custody is awarded to one parent. There are two types of sole custody:
- Sole Legal Custody means that the custodial parent has decision making rights pertaining to the child’s welfare, religious upbringing, educational and medical matters as well as other major issues.
- Sole Physical Custody means that the child resides with the custodial parent and is allowed reasonable visitation with the other parent.
It is a rarity that both sole legal and physical custody will be awarded to one parent or guardian unless the other parent is deemed unfit. A family law court may find a parent to be unfit to raise a child if there is a history of drug or alcohol abuse, violent behavior, child neglect, mental instability or other conditions that may jeopardize the well being of the child.
Most arrangements that involve sole custody of a child involve a combination of both legal and physical custody. For example, the child may reside with the custodial parent; however, both parents may be responsible for making major decisions for that child. Another example would be if the child lived with the decision making parent and the other parent was allowed visitation through an arrangement or in the presence of a third supervising party.
It is highly discouraged by the court system that one parent seek sole custody of a child due to extreme bitterness toward the other parent. If there is a justifiable reason for one parent to seek full custody, that reason may be presented to the court.
Nottage and Ward is an experienced, aggressive Chicago family law firm that keeps the well being of our clients in mind at all times. Custody battles, divorces and other family law disputes are typically highly emotional for most couples, making a rational solution difficult to obtain without the help of a no-fuss attorney. With over 20 years of family law litigation experience, our lawyers have the resources and understanding of Illinois state law to protect the rights of our clients. We have extensive knowledge of child custody proceedings and can help clients come to balanced, efficient agreements during a very difficult time.
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