Parental Allocation

Divorce is emotionally draining not only on the parents, but on the children as well.  To ensure the divorce has the least possible impact on the family, parental allocation is addressed by the court first.  In Illinois, parental allocation (formerly custody) disputes must be generally resolved in the first 18 months of the divorce, but with skilled attorneys parental allocation can usually be resolved much more quickly. 

Currently, a party can be awarded sole or joint parental decision making of major decisions for their child.  Major decisions are defined by statute as educational, medical, religion and extra-curricular.  The type of decision making awarded does not dictate the parenting time a parent has with the child.  Instead, parenting time can be equal, commonly referred to as shared, or one parent may be named the majority parent with the other parent being awarded a specific parenting time schedule. 

The team at Carder Law Firm has successfully litigated and settled hundreds of parental allocation and custody matters to the satisfaction of their clients.  We focus on the best interest of the child to ensure that the most precious part of your life is protected.  Whether you agree in mediation, through a guardian ad litem, or if you require an evaluation or trial, we are prepared to listen and work with you to determine the best resolution for your child.