For parents, many of the most important issues to resolve during the divorce process will be related to child custody. In Illinois, the court's top concern when making decisions about child custody is the best interests of the child. That is, the court’s rulings about how parents will make decisions for their children and the schedules for when children will spend parenting time with each parent will be based on what the court believes are the best ways to promote the children’s well-being and development. There are a number of factors that will be considered in these cases. Parents who are working to resolve child custody issues can get legal help from an attorney who can advise them on the best ways to show that they can provide for their children’s best interests.
Factors That May Affect Children’s Best Interests
Illinois law lists a large number of factors that may be evaluated by family court judges in child custody cases. These include:
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The wishes of both parents: The court will consider each parent's desires about how child custody issues should be handled. However, if the wishes of parents are not related to what is in the best interest of their child, these wishes may be disregarded.
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