Lakeview, IL Child Custody Attorney

Compassionate Child Custody Lawyer Representing Parents in Lakeview, Illinois

As a parent, your child's welfare may be among your top concerns. If you are going through a divorce, you may wonder how this will affect your child's upbringing as well as your relationship with your child. To address those important concerns, reach out to a Lakeview child custody attorney today for strong legal advice and counsel.

In issues of family law, having a strong legal advocate at your side is critical. At Cameron Law Center, LLC, we are more than up to the task of representing your best interests. Attorney Timothy Cameron has served as Special Assistant General Counsel with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, General Counsel's Office, giving him insights that few others share.

Joint and Sole Custody in Lakeview Custody Cases

In many divorces, parents end up sharing custody over their children in an arrangement known as joint custody. Parents with joint custody can split up parenting time and decision-making responsibilities as they see fit, as long as it aligns with the child's best interests.

Joint custody does not necessarily have to mean splitting all rights and responsibilities down the middle. In some arrangements, a child may stay at one parent's house for most of the year while the other parent takes possession on weekends. Similarly, one parent may have a greater say in important decisions than the other, depending on what is best for the child.

Sole custody awards where one parent gets exclusive parenting time and decision-making responsibility are not common in Illinois. This kind of arrangement is typically only considered if the child is at risk with one parent due to substance abuse, family violence, or other reasons.

Ways to Resolve Child Custody Disputes

When parents cannot agree on how to allocate parenting time and decision-making responsibility, outside intervention may be necessary. Oftentimes, a judge in a court of family law will order the parents to attend mediation, where a third-party mediator will help them attempt to reach an agreement.

Mediation has many benefits. Aside from avoiding a contentious, possibly traumatic courtroom battle, it can save both parents time and money. Moreover, it encourages a dialogue between the parents, and it can lay the framework for how disagreements will be resolved in the future.

If all efforts to resolve the dispute outside of court have failed, litigation may be the only way forward. At Cameron Law Center, LLC, we can provide you with aggressive representation, making a case for your child's best interests to the judge.

Modifying Parental Responsibilities in Illinois

In Illinois, you can modify an existing custody arrangement at any time, provided that both parents agree. However, it is still subject to approval by the courts to ensure that the agreement serves your child's best interests.

If one parent does not agree to the proposed custody modification, a custody order can only be modified if two years have passed since the last formalized custody order. The only exception to this rule is if the child's safety is at risk. If you are seeking to modify a custody agreement in this manner, you must show that there has been a significant change in circumstances and that the proposed change is in the child's best interests. Our lawyer can provide you with legal advice and advocacy during a proposed modification of custody.

Meet With a Lakeview, Chicago Child Custody Lawyer

At Cameron Law Center, LLC, we are here to stand up for you in concerns about child custody. We will approach your case with a highly individualized strategy, keeping your family's needs in mind. To schedule a free consultation today, reach out to our Lakeview custody attorney at 312-489-8638 or contact us online.