Tag Archives: visitation

Guardian ad Litem in Illinois

There are several situations when a divorce may cause a child or children to worry—children who may unfortunately be involved in the divorce process. When this is the case, the parents filing for divorce may not be able to come up with an ideal solution in the child’s or children’s best interests. If this situation arises, the parents may need to bring in another authorized person to assist in making decisions during the divorce process.

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Can I Ask for Pet Visitation?

Most of us know at least a few people who identify as “pet parents.” In fact, many of us are actually pet parents ourselves. The phrase “pet parents,” in this context, is more than a person or a couple who owns companion animals. Pet parents, in general, do not see the relationship as a master-pet dynamic, opting instead for more of a surrogate child situation—even for those pet parents who actually have children of their own as well. For the most part, being a pet parent is a more serious approach to pet ownership than many are willing undertake but there is nothing inherently wrong with it. But, what happens when pet parents get divorced? Could either party ask the court for visitation rights with their beloved four-legged companion?

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Visitation Rights of Grandparents in Illinois

Depending on the family dynamics, grandparents may find themselves at the mercy of the parents of the grandchildren in question when it comes to the issue of visitation. Under Illinois law, grandparents have a limited right to request court-ordered visitation privileges with their grandchildren. State law also recognizes a parent’s fundamental right to the final decisions regarding how and where their children are raised and who may have access to them while they are minors. From a legal standpoint, however, the rights of both parents and grandparents are always viewed in tandem with what is in the best interest of the child. Situations do arise in which the best interest of the child may need to be decided by a family court.

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Grandparent Rights in Illinois

It is no longer uncommon for grandparents to have physical custody and provide care for their grandchildren when the parents are undergoing difficult times. Most grandparents have significant and loving relationships with their grandchildren, and grandchildren develop similar relationships with their grandparents. As such, it may come as a shock when the parents indicate they wish to relinquish their parental rights and put their children up for adoption. What (if anything) can a grandparent do to maintain physical custody of their grandchildren if the parents wish for their children to be adopted?

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Child Custody and Moving out of State

As a divorced parent, you have likely found that it is not always easy to make spur-of-the-moment decisions regarding your child. You need to work together with your child’s other parent to ensure that he or she has all of his or her needs met while maintaining relationships with each of you. This would not be a problem if our lives remained static; however, the reality is that you will need to compromise with your former spouse and abide by court rules for your child’s sake.

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