How Illinois Courts Make Child Custody Decisions

 

Understand the common factors Illinois’s judges use when making child custody decisions.

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Resources and Takeaways: To study the specific factors used by Illinois family law judges, read Chapter 750, Section 5/Part 6 of the Illinois Statutes. If you’re working with a lawyer, mediator, or both, ask them for help understanding how Illinois law applies to your specific circumstances. And be sure to take advantage of any self-help resources available from the Illinois family law court for Perry County.  

 

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If you’ve found this article, it’s probably because you or someone you know is facing a child custody fight in Illinois family court. Below, we set out the common factors judges use when making custody determinations, including links to Illinois law.

Court Should be Your Last Resort

Going to court to get custody of a child will be stressful for you and, worse, tough on the children. Also, because judges have so much flexibility to make custody decisions, it leaves the family vulnerable to the biased opinions of individual judges. For these reasons and more, a court case is something to pursue only if all other options—like negotiation and mediation—have failed. Take advantage of all the resources available to you for creating a parenting plan before subjecting yourself and your kids to a court battle.

Illinois Best Interests of the Child Standard

Family law judges decide child custody cases using a legal standard called “the best interests of the child.” When determining what kind of parenting plan is best for your kids, a judge will usually want to minimize disruption in the kids’ lives and help them stay connected with both parents unless there’s a good reason not to.

Judges may consider many specific factors, including:

  • the child’s age, health, and social requirements and how well each parent can meet the child’s needs
  • the child’s current living situation and how well the status quo is working for the child
  • the child’s relationships with other significant people in each parent’s life
  • the child’s wishes, if the child is old enough to understand and take part in the decision (see the map below)
  • the parents' willingness and ability to share custody
  • whether one parent is likely to do more to support the child’s relationship with the other parent, and
  • whether there is any history of domestic violence, physical abuse, substance abuse, or neglect.

To collect the necessary information, the judge will consider all available resources, including the parents, reliable witnesses who are familiar with the child’s situation, and any mediators, mental health professionals, or social workers assigned to help with the custody evaluation.

 

Keep in mind that a judge will look at what is best for the kids right now, not what may happen in the future. If family circumstances change, you will have to ask to modify the parenting agreement.

What Judges Don’t Consider

When you read your state’s law, below, you may notice that there are certain factors courts are not allowed to consider when deciding what’s in a child’s best interests.  These factors almost always include the parent’s gender, race, and financial means. In some states, judges aren’t allowed to consider a parent’s sexual orientation. If you’re in the military, many states won’t allow a judge to factor in your deployment status.

More Information

Specific Factors Used by Illinois Family Law Judges

Chapter 750, Section 5/Part 6 of the Illinois Statutes

Working With a Lawyer

If you’re working with a lawyer, mediator, or both, ask them for help understanding how Illinois law applies to your specific circumstances.

How to Find a Child Custody Lawyer in Illinois

Self-Help Resources From Your Local Family Court

Illinois Family Law Court for Perry County


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Jurisdictional relevance: ST

There are versions of this article for each State.