Child Custody Lawyer Lake Forest, IL
The subject of holiday, vacation, and special-occasion parenting time can be particularly stressful for parents who are no longer romantically linked. Each parent wants to celebrate special occasions with their child, and each wants clear expectations about when they can and cannot do so. Splitting up special occasions and vacations can be a daunting process because there are few ways to do so that are both fair and honor the best interests of the child affected by such arrangements. Thankfully, our experienced Lake Forest, Illinois, child custody lawyer can help empower co-parents to create or modify a special occasion parenting time schedule that makes sense for everyone involved.
Co-Parenting at the Holidays – Considerations
As you may know by now, child custody and visitation/parenting time arrangements must be constructed with the “best interests of the child” standard in mind. However, the best interests of every child are different. When planning your special occasion parenting time schedule, consider your child’s unique best interests. Would your child suffer if they were not permitted to spend a specific period of time with one parent or the other? Does your proposed schedule allow your child to see all of his or her loved ones at some point during the year? Do your arrangements place unnecessary stress on your child due to time or travel constraints? Do your arrangements allow your child to experience the holiday traditions of both families? Does your proposed schedule allow each parent to participate in a variety of special occasions?
An experienced Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer can help you sort out the answers to these questions and construct a parenting time arrangement that fits your child’s needs and the unique circumstances of your family’s situation. It is a delicate balance to set reasonable, consistent expectations and remain necessarily flexible when scheduling vacations and special occasions. However, an experienced Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer can help you to achieve this balance regarding either an original order or a parenting time modification.
Child Custody Guidance Is Available
If you have questions about child custody determinations generally and/or co-parenting agreements specifically, please do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney today. The sooner you educate a Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer about your situation, the sooner you can receive professional guidance and support that will allow you to make the best and most informed decisions possible for your child and your family. Speaking with a Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer does not commit you to take any specific action, so there is no risk involved in scheduling a consultation. In addition, these conversations are confidential, so you do not need to hesitate for any reason. The legal team at Hurst, Robin, Kay & Allen, LLC is dedicated to helping parents create the healthiest, most beneficial parenting arrangements possible and we would be more than happy to speak with you about your family’s needs. We look forward to taking your call.
How Child Custody is Determined
While not every child custody case reaches a courtroom, many still do. A child custody case will need a court-ordered decision when both parents cannot agree on the terms of custody. This can become a long, drawn-out process with many fingers pointed at the other parent. It’s best that the child be shielded from this type of practice, as it can become daunting. Not all cases have to reach a courtroom, though. If both parents are still on somewhat amicable terms, then a mediator or attorney can be used. This is a great way to avoid going before a judge and still reach an agreeable outcome. A child custody lawyer in Lake Forest, IL can help to negotiate with the other parent’s legal team. Whether the case goes before a judge or is settled by both parents’ legal teams, some clear guidelines will need to be reached. Those guidelines include:
- Custody Care Plan – A custody care plan outlines which days and times a parent will take care of their child. One parent may pick up their child on weekends, while the other is responsible for them during the week. This plan may also detail who takes the child to certain events and other care items.
- Parenting Boundaries – When both parents share legal custody of the child but have different beliefs or rules about certain things, it can be an issue. Boundaries can be set in the child custody agreement regarding which school the child can attend, which events they can participate in, and the kind of medical care they receive. Your Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer from Hurst, Robin, Kay & Allen, LLC can provide more details and assist with setting this up.
- Other Concerns – There are many other issues to consider in a child custody case. Some of those issues include what to do if one parent has to move to a distant location. Another issue is determining who will provide the child with financial assistance and how much. Another issue that may occur is how to approach the child when a new partner is found. It’s important to think of all of the different scenarios that could happen, as they may affect your child’s quality of life.
While child custody can be an emotional and difficult process to handle, it doesn’t always have to be that way. Remember to always think of your child first and understand the difficulties that they are facing, too. Their life will change just as yours is, and they, too, will need assistance and careful thought on how to proceed. Reach out to a child custody lawyer in Lake Forest, IL, from our firm today to get help with these issues. Hurst, Robin, Kay & Allen, LLC is standing by and ready to assist. We believe that, with our skills, knowledge, and experience, we can also be of benefit to you and your family.
What to Do When Visitation Orders are Violated
Parents who are bound to the legal obligations and responsibilities set forth by the family court owe it to their child and the child’s custodial parent to uphold visitation agreements. However, it is not uncommon for visitation orders to be disobeyed. This causes unnecessary emotional stress on you as the custodial parent, and furthermore, your child as well. If you are struggling with a parent who is continually violating their visitation order, contact an experienced child custody lawyer in Lake Forest, IL, at once. A skilled attorney will come up with a solution that is in the best interest of your child’s well-being and help protect your interests throughout each step of the process.
What Constitutes a Visitation Violation?
You may not see eye to eye on everything the child’s other parent does, or on the specific activities they engage in with the child. Letting a 12-year-old watch a PG-13 movie in the other room while the parent cooks dinner would not, in any family court, constitute a visitation violation. Such an agreement may be made informally between both parents, but unless it is ordered by the court, it will not be a mandate under the law.
However, if the parent fails to comply with the specific terms of the visitation order, they may face consequences, as the court takes visitation violations and the child’s well-being very seriously. Some common examples of violations a Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer has handled include the following:
- Prolonging a visit
- Not adhering to the visitation schedule (such as visiting or contacting the child at undesignated times)
- Not adhering to supervised visitation orders (such as not having a third-party present)
- Failing to pick up or drop off the child at the designated place or time
- Asking another person to pick the child up, if not previously approved by the court
Child Custody Infographic
If a Visitation Order Is Being Violated, Take Action Today
There are various options if a parent is violating their visitation order. According to the courts, you can:
- Call the police and ask that they enforce the order
- File an action for contempt with the court. By going this route, you will need a Lake Forest, IL child custody lawyer
Let Us Help You Today
Regardless of the immediate first steps you take, such as calling the police, it is crucial to contact an experienced Lake Forest child custody lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected throughout this ordeal and that the visitation violations are put to an abrupt and permanent end. Contact Hurst, Robin, Kay & Allen, LLC for immediate assistance.
