Category Archives: Visitation

Alcohol Abuse Can Affect Your Parenting Time

Do you share parenting responsibilities with your child’s other parent? If so, you probably cherish the time you get to spend with your child. While it may not be as much as you would like, you understand that every moment is one that can be enjoyed and used to foster a healthy relationship between your child and yourself. This is especially true around the winter holidays asContinue reading

New Terminology in the Law Focuses on Parental Inclusion

The influence of language and communication in today’s world is tremendous. The schoolyard chant claiming “words could never hurt” is simply not true. Words can definitely hurt. They can also be used to bring people together, to overcome adversity, and to even change the world. For centuries, authors and playwrights have extolled the power that words can have, even compared to physical weapons of war–perhapsContinue reading

Substance Abuse and Parenting Time

Substance abuse continues to be a problem all throughout the United States. Addiction to alcohol and drugs can ruin lives and tear families apart. Family law courts are especially concerned about parents with substance abuse issues. Substance Abuse and Being an Unfit Parent Family court judges are often required to decide how much time each parent should spend with the children of the relationship when theContinue reading

Family Law Changes for 2016: Child Custody and Visitation

In the last post on this blog, we talked about a number of upcoming changes to the laws regarding divorce in Illinois. These changes are being implemented January 1, 2016, and are the result of a family law reform measure that was signed by the governor this past summer. The amendments to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act also address child-related concerns, making substantialContinue reading

Non-Parent Visitation: What is Unreasonable Denial?

Under Illinois law, certain family members are permitted to seek visitation privileges with a child, but the privileges will only be granted if specific criteria are met. Unlike the rights of visitation which most non-custodial parents are automatically granted unless there are justifiable reasons not to, legally-recognized visitation must be found to be appropriate by a court with jurisdiction over the case. Who May Petition? According theContinue reading

Grandparents’ Rights to Visitation

The effects of a divorce or family separation on the life of a child can be rather significant. Often, the child must adapt to a new schedule of spending time with the important people in his or life, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and, in some cases, even siblings. What about grandparents? It is reasonable for one to think that grandparents must have some sort ofContinue reading

Grandparents’ Rights to Visitation

The effects of a divorce or family separation on the life of a child can be rather significant. Often, the child must adapt to a new schedule of spending time with the important people in his or life, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and, in some cases, even siblings. What about grandparents? It is reasonable for one to think that grandparents must have some sort ofContinue reading

Limiting Child Visitation in Illinois

You obviously want what is best for your child. As a parent, you probably understand that decisions that are made regarding child support, custody, and visitation are not necessarily for your benefit or that of the other parent. Instead, they are made, or at least supposed to be made, with the best interest of the child in mind to the extent that a judicial entity like aContinue reading