Child Custody

Cook County, Illinois Child Custody Attorneys

The state of Illinois mandates mediation when it comes to child custody, with the best interest of the children always coming first, At Katz Law Office, Ltd. in Chicago, we will advocate for you throughout the mediation process and any courtroom litigation if necessary.

Legal custody gives a parent the right to make major life decisions for their child that include medical care, religion, schools, and other activities. Joint legal custody is an option, but it works best when both custodial and non-custodial parents get along in the decision-making process. Residential custody relates to whom the child lives with a majority of the time.

The Illinois Supreme Court determined that mediation is mandatory in child custody cases. The decisions made there are not binding and may not always be an effective way to work out child custody. At the Katz Law Office, Ltd., we will let you know that you have the right to litigate child custody if that is your only remaining choice.

The best interest of the children remains the focus if your case goes to court. The court may appoint an independent psychologist to assess the child's condition. All information gathered will be presented at trial and the judge will have the authority to make the important custody decisions. Various factors come into play in making that decision, including:

• Wishes of the parents
• Wishes of the child (if they are old enough to make the decision)
• Interaction and relationships with parents, siblings, or significant individuals
• Child’s adjustment to home, school, and community
• Mental and physical health of both child and parents
• Physical violence or the threat of it directed at the child or another person
• Abuse defined by the Domestic Violence Act
• Both parents' ability to encourage healthy relationships with the child and the other parent

When a custody decision does not go the way one parent wants, that parent will sometimes abduct the child. A parent wrongfully concealing a child from the other parent and preventing interaction or visitation is a Class 4 Felony. An emergency petition and a subsequent warrant for arrest will be filed. We vigorously represent clients who have been victimized by child abduction.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation regarding child custody, visitation rights, or grandparent's rights, please contact us.