Parenting time is relatively new legal jargon that has superseded earlier concepts of visitation or child custody. There are ways through which noncustodial parents can make it easier for Chicago courts to grant them more than just visiting rights and allow them to actually spend time with their child. They may opt to provide documents or consult a parenting time lawyer in the Chicago area.
How Parenting Time is Determined
Formerly called “visitation,” parenting time is the time frame granted to a noncustodial parent who wants to spend time with their child. It is determined by the court with due consideration for the child’s best interests, subject to certain conditions.
The court does not have the authority to remove a parent’s right to having parenting time or put it on hold just because a parent is unable to pay child support. However, even if the parent is capable of paying child support, such capacity does not automatically translate to having parenting time.
With the help of a parenting time lawyer in Chicago, noncustodial parents are granted parenting time by the court unless there is justifiable cause not to do so (e.g. history of child abuse, parent is an alcoholic, criminal convictions). Before it is granted by the court, some prerequisites such as the nature of child’s relationship with the noncustodial parent and the child’s age will be thoroughly examined. Courts will look into the noncustodial parent’s visiting habits or how they once spent time with their offspring. A detailed schedule and corresponding parenting responsibilities will then be determined.
Requesting for Parenting Time
Noncustodial parents are advised to record the dates and hours they spend with their child. They can keep a calendar of such dates and attach it to their request for parenting time. Supplementary information provides courts some basis for decision-making.
Other parents who are not well acquainted with the law prefer to consult a parenting time lawyer before submitting their request. This is also a recommended move for parents seeking for quality parenting time. Legal fees vary per state. For instance, a parenting time lawyer in Chicago may cost between $75 and $400 per hour on average, depending on the lawyer’s expertise or the complexity of the custody case.
Michael Craven of divorcelawyerschicago.com is a Divorce and Family Law attorney in Illinois, Chicago. He has more than 30 years of experience handling divorce and child custody cases.
