Illinois Child Custody Facts

 Posted on June 30, 2013 in Divorce

When parents are going through a divorce, it is very difficult to deal with emotionally as the relationship falls apart and both spouse’s lives are uprooted. Having children makes divorce even more difficult, because parents must put their personal issues aside and put the children and the children's needs first. Here are some facts that answer frequently asked questions about Illinois child custody and how it might affect your situation:

• The court has the power to decide the custody of the child if the parents live in different states, or if the parents have recently moved to a new state. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act determines which state is considered the “home state” of the child. The home state is Illinois if the child has lived there for at least six months or has moved out of Illinois within the past six months.
• If parents have some significant connection to Illinois, Illinois state courts may also hear the custody case.
• Illinois does not assume that joint custody is in the best interest of the child as some states do. Maximum cooperation by all parties involved is the goal of Illinois courts for a custody arrangement, but factors such as domestic abuse may affect the outcome of the custody hearing.

• Custody arrangements cannot be altered without agreement by both parents, unless other factors cause reason for doing so without consent. If the child’s current environment is harmful to the child in any way or the circumstances of the parents have changed two years or more after the original custody arrangement was agreed upon, the change to the custody arrangement is considered to be necessary.

If you have any concerns about the custody of your child if you are going through a divorce in Illinois, contact a Goostree Law Group attorney. Located in St. Charles, Ill. these family law attorneys can assist you with your child custody issues today.  

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