What Do Divorcing Parents Need to Include in Their Parenting Plan in Kendall County?

 Posted on December 20,2022 in Child Custody

Establishing an agreeable parenting plan can be complex and contentious, especially if the divorce is acrimonious. Parenting plans include the allocation of parental responsibilities, which entails essential decision-making, like the child’s education and healthcare. Parenting time, formerly known as visitation, is also included in a parenting plan. The best interest of the child is always paramount under Illinois law. A child custody attorney adept at negotiation can help draft an agreeable, surefire parenting plan.

Parenting Plan under Illinois Law

From the divorce filing date, parents have 120 days to file a projected parenting plan with the court.  If the parents are unable to provide a tentative parenting plan, they may obtain an extension through court-ordered mediation.  When an agreeable parenting plan is not reached by the court-ordered date of extension, the judge may rule on the disputed elements of the parenting plan. The status of the parenting plan then transfers into an allocation of judgment. Once an agreeable parenting plan is established, that plan will be permanent and cannot be changed for two years except in rare cases.

Common Components to Include in a Parenting Plan

• Specify the allocation of each parent’s decision-making responsibilities.

• Outline the child’s living arrangement schedule detailing which days the child will reside at each parent’s residence and how the schedule is determined and enforced.

• Include a mediation clause clarifying any anticipated changes to the parenting time schedule or decision-making responsibilities.

• Delineate parental rights to accessing the child’s healthcare records, report cards, extracurricular activities reports, and all schedules.

• Denote the parent designated with the most parenting time.

• Detail each parent’s home residence and workplace contact information.

• Include the statutory statement that if the parent is to move to another residence, they must notify the other parent 60 days before the relocation. If that timeline is impossible or impractical through a court order, the written notice must at least include the address and date of the residential move.

• Specify how each parent will alert each other in the event of their child’s health emergencies, including hospitalizations, doctor appointments, or staying home sick from school.

• Specify how each parent will alert each other about their child’s social life and extracurricular schedule, including sleepovers.

• Detail how the child is transported throughout parenting time pick-up and drop-off.

• Include conditions on how often and how long the child can communicate with their parent during the other parent’s parenting time, which can involve telephone calls, video calls, text messages, and emails.

• Even if unforeseeable, include stipulations regarding a parent’s prospective relocation to another county, state, or country.

• Detail any possible events that would prompt a modification to the parenting plan.

• Include provisions for each parent’s right-of-first-refusal (RFR) privilege. For instance, if a parent has to leave town for a business trip and is unable to care for the child during their designated parenting time, that parent must notify the other parent. Suppose the other parent is also unable to care for that child. In that case, the petitioning parent must arrange an agreeable alternative of who will care for the child, like a relative or family friend.

Contact a Kendall County Child Custody Attorney

At The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C., dependable family law attorney Matthew M. Williams understands the complexities of establishing agreeable parenting plans. Certified in collaborative and cooperative law, Matthew M. Williams ferociously advocates for his clients and strives for harmonious solutions. Matthew M. Williams aims to negotiate for guaranteed parenting plans with the child's best interest at the forefront. If you need a skillfully drafted parenting plan, contact a Yorkville divorce lawyer at 630-409-8184.

Source:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=075000050HPt%2E+VI&ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=8400000&SeqEnd=10200000