Wheaton Child Visitation and Joint Parenting Agreements Attorney

Family Law Lawyer Serving Geneva, St. Charles, and Glen Ellyn

Proven allegations of domestic violence, distance between the households, and other variables can significantly affect arrangements for parenting time/visitation. However, it is often in the children's best interests to have frequent and consistent contact with both parents following a separation or divorce. Therefore, most child custody plans are designed to maximize the parenting time of both parents. In a similar vein, most divorced parents will share in the decision-making process in child-rearing issues such as religious upbringing, school attendance, and physician preference.

At Jenz Law Office, we routinely handle child custody matters in DuPage County and nearby jurisdictions. Attorney Judith Jenz uses proven methods to deliver results in a variety of circumstances, from relatively uncontested matters to contentious trials.

As we advocate for you, we proactively keep you abreast of important developments in your case so you retain some measure of control in an emotionally difficult situation. If going to trial does not benefit your situation, Ms. Jenz is a trained and certified in mediation, and she has the necessary skills to effectively advocate for your interests in a negotiation.

Visitation and Joint Parenting in Illinois

Assuming that the parents can effectively co-parent--meaning they can substantially comply with a parenting plan--most judges prefer a joint custody arrangement. "Joint custody" does not necessarily that children will spend equal amounts of time with each parent, but it does mean that the parents will share in parental responsibilities and work together to raise their children.

In Illinois, parents may have an equal say in decision-making responsibilities, or different areas of responsibility may be granted solely to one parent. Parents will also have the right to reasonable amounts of parenting time on a regular, ongoing basis, regardless of how parental responsibilities are allocated. The law favors frequent and consistent contact between parents and children; needless to say, domestic violence and other variables can significantly affect this portion of the parenting plan.

Most judges are willing to accept most any mutually-agreed-upon plan, particularly if both parents are represented by counsel. In the event they cannot agree, the court will look to the best interests of the children to determine an appropriate plan.

An important note is that parents are required to follow the terms of their parenting plan, regardless of whether there are any issues related to child support. In fact, many judges take a dim view of parents who obstruct or block contact between a parent and a child based on a delinquent financial obligation. This same logic applies if there is an alleged failure to share unreimbursed medical expenses, extracurricular activity costs, and related matters. At the same time, a parent cannot refuse to pay child support if the other parent has denied them parenting time with their children. Any disputes in these areas will typically need to be settled in court, and parents cannot act outside of the law to enforce or deny visitation or child support.

Contact Our DuPage County Parenting Plan Lawyer

Although we put children first at Jenz Law Office, we never forget that your parenting plan should also uphold your legal rights. Contact Judith Jenz today at 630-202-8842 for a free consultation. We serve clients from our office in Wheaton, IL, and we are happy to provide representation to clients in DuPage County and throughout Northern Illinois.