Peoria Child Custody Attorney | Parental Responsibility

Do What’s Best for Your Children with Help from a Peoria Child Custody Attorney

A mother with Child Custody over her daughter, thanks to help from Peoria attorneys

Child custody in Illinois, otherwise known as “parental responsibility,” are parents’ legal rights and responsibilities, as ordered by a court of law. As important as the safety and well-being of your children are, ensuring they are in the best possible home is crucial for the family law team at Stephens Fiddes McGill & Associates, P.C. As such, we assist parents in parental responsibility proceedings, helping involved parties navigate the intricacies of child custody law in Peoria IL and across the state. Call today to request a consultation with our team.

How Does a Court Determine Parental Responsibility?

No “one” factor decides what each parent is responsible for after a separation. Between a combination of negotiation and evaluation, a mediator or judge will decide on parental rights based on the severity and importance of several factors, some of which are:

A parent’s decision-making abilities
The physical and mental health of parents and children
The level of cooperation between parents
Distance between parent homes
Where a child was raised
Proximity of additional family members
The unique needs of the children involved
Any threat of physical or emotional violence
Additional related factors

The Parental Rights We Help Clients Achieve

Child custody agreements are intricate, ensuring all your children’s needs are addressed, and each parent contributes their part. As such, exact parental rights and responsibilities are divided between parents and are determined by a qualified mediator or judge. Depending on the agreement reached, one parent might be more responsible for the day-to-day well-being of children (sole custody), while both parents are responsible for the more significant decisions. Or, both parties can split parental rights equally, as with time with children (joint custody). Some of these rights and responsibilities include:

Right to Physical Custody – This entails the right to have your child live with you. It may be joint (shared by both parents) or sole (where only one parent has the right).
Right to Legal Custody – This is the right to make important decisions about your child’s life, including their education, healthcare, and religious upbringing.
Visitation Rights – In cases where one parent has sole physical custody, a judge will grand the other parent visitation rights, which means they have specified times to spend with the child.
Child Support – In a situation where parents are not living together, the noncustodial parent may be required to contribute to the child’s financial needs, ensuring that the child’s basic needs are met.
Right to Information – Each parent has the right to access important information about their child, such as educational records, medical history, and updates on the child’s well-being.

Family Law and Additional Legal Practices

Child custody in Peoria IL is essential to legal separations and family law. However, it isn’t the only family law service Stephen Fiddes McGill & Associates, P.C. can assist with. Our experienced attorneys can handle cases involving divorce, child support disputes, adoptions, domestic violence and more. Otherwise, if you require additional legal assistance unrelated to family law, our lawyers have you covered. Stephens Fiddes McGill & Associates, P.C. covers the following practices:

A gavel with two wooded dolls, representing Child Custody for a law firm in Peoria IL

If you have questions about your parental responsibilities or need help negotiating parental and custodial rights for your children, contact Stephen Fiddes McGill & Associates’ experienced team of Peoria child custody attorneys. Request a free case evaluation from Stephens Fiddes McGill & Associates, P.C. by calling 309-637-5297 or email info@sfmlegal.com.