Illinois Visitation Lawyer
Child custody and visitation are issues that are decided by the court using the standard of the best interests of the child. The court seeks to put the child in the best position available through the decisions that are made on custody and visitation.
If parents are in agreement regarding the terms of their child custody and visitation agreement that agreement will end up being the final arrangement. If, however, the parents cannot agree, then the courts have various tools to assist them in reaching the goal of serving the best interests of the child.
I am Aurora child custody attorney Matthew M. Williams of the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. I have previously worked as a child advocate for abused and neglected children. I am also qualified to serve as a guardian ad litem, which is an officer of the court appointed to represent the interests of children. Coupling that background with my experience in the local courts, I can offer seasoned guidance that can help you achieve your goals regarding child custody and parenting time.
The Child Custody and Visitation Process
When parents cannot agree on these issues, the court will refer them to mediation. If mediation is unsuccessful in reaching an agreement, the court will either appoint a court approved guardian ad litem (or other child representative) or the family can seek the services of a court approved custody evaluator (usually a psychiatrist or psychologist). Both of these people will evaluate your family's situation in an attempt to discern what will most fully meet the best interests of your child. The courts rely heavily on the recommendations of both of these resources.
Both guardians ad litem and custody evaluators involve additional costs. A guardian ad litem's initial retainer usually starts around twenty five hundred dollars and a custody evaluator usually starts around thirty five hundred dollars, but the total costs for either may be even more.
I cannot stress how advantageous it can be to come to terms together if that is at all possible.
In most instances, parents will share the right to make decisions regarding the major life decisions of a child (legal custody) and children will primarily reside with an individual parent (residential custody), referred to as the residential parent, and the nonresidential parent will receive visitation.
Contact My Office
For effective representation in determining child custody and visitation, call 630-409-1261 or simply contact me online to schedule your initial consultation. Flexible payment plans and reasonable retainers are part of the commitment I make to helping you move forward with your life .
