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Parenting Plans

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Parenting Plan Lawyer

Parental Responsibilities Attorney in Illinois

For parents, the end of a marriage can raise many concerns about what will happen to their children. It is reasonable to be worried about how your divorce resolution will address the allocation of parenting time and parental responsibilities, but it is important to know that in most cases, parents have substantial control over the outcome of child custody matters in a divorce. In fact, you have an important responsibility to complete and submit a parenting plan that addresses many important details regarding your children.

At Reifman Law Offices, we understand how important it is for you to protect your children’s interests as you get a divorce. We can guide you through the process of creating a thorough parenting plan and represent you in negotiations or litigation to have your plan approved. With almost 20 years of legal experience, we are well-versed in handling the common issues that divorcing parents may encounter in Illinois.

How to File a Parenting Plan

Illinois law typically requires divorcing parents to file a parenting plan with the court within 120 days of filing for divorce, and parents are strongly encouraged to work together in the creation of a joint parenting plan. In an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse may have a parenting plan ready to file along with your divorce petition, which can help to expedite the divorce process. If you still have disagreements to iron out, the court will usually order you to attend mediation to resolve these disagreements. A joint parenting plan will likely be approved as long as it is in the children’s best interests.

If mediation is unsuccessful, or if it is not possible because of an issue like domestic abuse or a parent’s refusal to participate, then you will need to submit your own parenting plan separately from your spouse. The court will consider the terms of your proposed parenting plan during divorce litigation, and the judge will use it to help them make decisions about parenting time and parental responsibilities.

What Do You Need to Include in an Illinois Parenting Plan?

Whether you file a parenting plan jointly or separately, there are a number of important details that the court will expect your plan to address. These include:

  • A schedule of parenting time or a method for creating a schedule. The schedule should address regular weekdays and weekends, as well as holidays and special occasions.
  • An allocation of responsibilities for important decisions regarding your children’s health, education, extracurricular activities, and religion.
  • Details regarding each parent’s access to the children’s health, educational, extracurricular, and child care records.
  • Information about each parent’s phone number, workplace, and residential address, as well as a designation of the residential address that will be used for the children’s school enrollment.
  • Plans for transportation between parents and communication with the children outside of a parent’s scheduled parenting time.
  • Provisions for a right of first refusal that would allow a parent the first opportunity to care for the children when the other parent is unavailable during scheduled parenting time.
  • Expectations for notifying the other parent of travel plans, health issues or emergencies, and changes of residence.
  • Provisions for mediation or other methods of addressing modifications to parenting time or the allocation of parental responsibilities, including in the event of a parent’s relocation.
  • Any other provisions that promote effective co-parenting and the children’s best interests.

Taking the time to create a thoughtful parenting plan can help you prevent future conflicts with your spouse and ensure that your children are in the best possible situation after your divorce.

Additional Resources

Contact an Arlington Heights Parenting Plan Attorney

If you have questions about creating a parenting plan or you need representation as you negotiate a parenting plan with your spouse, we can help. Contact us at 847-229-8433 today to schedule a free consultation. We represent parents in Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, West Dundee, Barrington, Streamwood, and the surrounding areas.

At Reifman Law Offices,

we will take the weight of dealing with family legal issues off of your shoulders.
Call Us 847-229-8433

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Arkady Reifman

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